Avi, Rory and Everyone Else
by persevera
Summary: Life goes on in Lima after Rory returns to Ireland. So does his relationship with Avi Lopez but when will they be together again? Conclusion posted. Please review
1. Everything Is Fine Here

**_a/n Since Rory and Avi are separated for now, thought I'd play with the other OCs. I'd appreciate some feedback to know if it's a concept I should continue...or just leave everything the way it is_**

Santana and Maria were the only FOO members left after the monthly meeting at the split trunk tree.

Maria sat on the grass under the tree and stretched her long legs in front of her. She motioned for Santana to lay her head on her lap.

"So what do you think?" she asked, "do you want to do the O-mazing Race?"

Santana looked up at her girlfriend's face. "I don't see how running all over the state looking for clues helps the tree," she said.

Maria chuckled. "Yeah, I though you and that businessman who proposed it were going to come to blows arguing about it. But if he's willing to pay to help maintain the baby for a year, in exchange for people running around the state promoting his stores, why not?"

Santana rolled her eyes. "I just don't trust Al Motta." She felt the cascade of Maria's long red hair on her face. Maria swished her head a little so it would tickle Santana, as a way of persuading her.

"You won't even have to see him," she said. "Just wear his tight t-shirt and pass out his brochures to people while we look for the clues. We haven't been out of Lima together yet. He's even willing to pay for the gas. What's the downside?"

Santana smiled as she rose to stand then pulled Maria up beside her. "Okay, okay. We'll do it. If he makes some presentation to the winner for the cameras, it can be your gorgeous face in the papers. But if he tries to touch you, I'll filet him."

The following Saturday Santana found out what could be the downside. Some people who were participating in the hunt didn't have a partner and were foisted on the pairs. Santana and Maria got Sugar.

"This is going to be so much fun," said Sugar. "I'm really great at puzzles so we have it in the bag."

Santana looked scornfully at her. "Do you mean we don't have it in the bag because it's your dad's contest?"

Sugar shook her head. "He said he wants me to learn how to lead a team so I don't know any more than anyone else. He said I have to earn your respect so you'll do what I tell you to do."

They hadn't even gotten to the car yet and Santana was already seething.

Maria was amused. "Why don't you concentrate on being a member of a successful team, rather than the leader of a losing one," she suggested to Sugar, as they reached the parking lot.

All of the vehicles participating in the contest had the same large transparent stuck on the hood—a drawing of the tree under the heading Mega Motta, with all of Al's enterprises represented on the branches. In small letters under the graphic were the words Support Friends of the Osage Orange. The girls' t-shirts bore the same design.

"Only for Maria," thought Santana, rolling her brown eyes again. They'd been on almost constant rotation since arriving at the park earlier that morning.

She took the wheel and Maria pulled out the contents of the bag they'd been given—maps, a compass, small cheap binoculars and….the first clue.

"The perfect place for the birth of a bright idea—just like at Motta's Lighting. Come see our large selection of lighting options for your home or business," read Maria.

"Birth of a bright idea," said Sugar excitedly. "It's gotta be the hospital. We just have to figure out which one," she said, going to google.

"It can't be a hospital, Leading Cause of Cavities," said Santana to Sugar, "without more information to know which one."

Maria snapped her fingers. "Birthplace of a bright idea—Edison's birthplace in Erie County."

Sugar snapped her fingers. "That's right. Henry Edison was born in Erie County," she chimed in.

Santana was about to make another insult when she felt Maria's hand on her arm, urging tolerance.

Maria programmed the destination for Milan, OH, and Thomas Edison's birthplace home into the GPS.

After a short silence Sugar asked shyly, "How's Avi? I haven't seen her since the end of school."

Santana sighed. "She's fine. She just misses Shamrock Guy."

* * *

"Is everything alright, Avelina?" asked Rory worriedly.

Avi put on her brightest smile. "Sure," she said to the Skype camera. "Santana and Maria just started this goofy scavenger hunt today. Craig's being scouted by a couple of colleges for a hockey scholarship. I'm spending a lot of time with Tina. Things are fine here. It's just Rory-less," she said.

Rory nodded slowly. "Yeah, I haven't found a trace of Avi here."

"Good," she said. "I don't want you looking for any Avi there. I'm here, waiting for you, and not that patiently," she added.

Rory grinned. "That's my girl. I miss you so much, Avi."

"Call me Avelina," she requested. "I don't hear that enough anymore."

He complied. "I miss you so much, Avelina Luz-lips. A notebook doesn't last more than a couple of days now," he said, his voice becoming huskier.

"Two minutes, Avi," cried Mrs. Lopez from the other room.

Avi sighed in exasperation. "Mama's timing me," she said sadly.

Rory touched her face on his computer screen. "Some day no one will be able to put any limit on us," he said.

"Including you?"

He dropped his head heavily. "Especially me," he said regretfully, pulling the monitor closer. "You don't know how much I've thought of you in that great old car and banged my head against the wall for passing up the chances we had."

Avelina closed her eyes to intensify the memory. "I know exactly," she said softly.

"Time," said Mrs. Lopez, standing in the doorway.

Avi looked in that direction pleadingly. "Say goodbye," said her mother, walking away discreetly.

"I love you A-rorable," Avi said, knowing what he'd say next.

"Roll it for me," he commanded. "I love you too."

"Arrrorrrable," she trilled, signing off.

Rory stared at the array of images of Avi that was his desktop background and screen saver. "Until next time, Darlin'".


	2. IDEAS

"How many pit stops does she need anyway? We'll never get there," said Santana, leaning back in Maria's arms. Now that Rory was gone, she and Avi were no longer arguing over who was going to drive their dad's old car with the super-comfortable long front seat.

Maria stroked Santana's hair. "At least it gives us some time alone," she reminded her with a kiss. "Now that Sugar's not here, do you want to tell me how Avi really is? Rory's worried about her."

Santana sighed. "She's fine, really. She misses him more than she should, but she's seen a counselor a couple of times. She's not happy but she's not miserable."

Maria asked "Did she start seeing the counselor after meeting with the prosecutor in New York?"

Santana nodded. "That was pretty nerve-wracking for her. She couldn't identify the English guy. And all of these creeps' lawyers are saying the file put online can't be used as evidence, so the only thing to prosecute is the jerks' involvement with just one girl each—like Ralston and Avi. At least we still have the satisfaction that their lives and reputations are ruined."

Maria looked away uncomfortably. She'd heard Ralston's story in the media about the abuse he'd suffered at the hands of four people in bulky sweats, wearing gloves, with stocking caps covering their faces. She believed that two of the people in those disguises had been Santana and Rory, but she never talked about it because she didn't want to confirm her suspicions. She could protect them better through ignorance.

She sighed in relief when she saw Sugar approaching the car, talking on her phone.

"Yes, Daddy, we're almost there," Sugar said, climbing into the car and closing the door. "I should look where?"

Maria held out her hand for the phone, while Santana settled back behind the wheel. "Hello, Mr. Motta," she said. "We just want you to know that we're really enjoying Sugar being on our team. I believe she's looking forward to an honorable win with us," she concluded, returning the phone to Sugar.

The younger girl gaped. She'd never heard someone challenge her father before, especially with such finesse, and she was happy to hear that a cool girl like Maria enjoyed her company.

As they neared their destination, Team Su-Ri-Na planned strategy. "Maria and I will look around outside while you see what you can learn in the house. Then we'll meet and compare notes and trade places," Santana explained. She hoped to keep Sugar out of the way so she and Maria could look for the prize.

At the site the couple began circling the house, expanding the perimeter each time they passed the front door. They were on their fifth circuit when Sugar ran out of the house excitedly.

"I found it," she exclaimed, waving a sheet of paper with the Mega Motta logo. Following her was a couple of tourtist-looking people, who identified themselves as referees.

Sugar explained how she had been drawn to a display of models for Edison's many attempts at developing the light bulb. "I saw one that looked like the light bulb in cartoons when somebody gets an idea. So I looked around it and found this," she said triumphantly.

Santana looked skeptical but Maria saw a look on Sugar's face that wouldn't have been there if the discovery had been arranged—she was proud of herself.

The notice said

Congratulations!

You have successfully completed your first task.

See referees for prizes.

See you next week for second round of the **O-Mazing Race,**

Sponsored by Al Motta Enterprises,

_(In support of the Friends of the Osage Orange)_

The referees gave the trio their coupons for Breadstix and $10 off the large selection of lamps at Motta's Lighting. On their return home, the girls celebrated their victory by using their coupons for a late supper at Breadstix. Maria sent a text message to Rory…

Score one for the baby and your baby is okay too

* * *

After talking to Avi, Rory turned to his current notebook, recording the ideas that had formed in his mind during their conversation. Her statement that she was waiting impatiently and what that might mean when they were first reunited enthralled him.

He was sitting in the banged-up RV that Brian had gotten for them to use in travelling the area, promoting the themes that Rory had first laid out for Avi-that the young people in the country concentrate on peace and self-expression, rather than becoming embroiled in any side of the argument.

The appearances were popular with their intended audience. Rory, Brian and Seamus, Rory's younger brother, sang first. Then after Rory's speech, he and Brian asked for comments and testimonials from the crowd. He finished with an electric guitar riff on When Irish Eyes are Smiling that he'd learned in Lima from glee club's lead guitarist. (It was the least the guy could do, considering Rory's tolerance of his blatant ogling of Avi.)

He'd been surprised that some in the crowd treated the good-looking brothers like minor celebrities. Brian and Seamus had quickly become comfortable with the status and its perqs-especially the girls. After weeks of fending off Avi though, Rory had no interest in the random "fans" and no trouble resisting their advances.

He was waiting for an online confirmation of his acceptance back in the foreign exchange program. He'd had to meet with a committee and explain that he'd returned early because of the bombing involving a friend of his. If that didn't work, he would have to figure out something else. He needed to get back to Avi.

Not a great idea to fall in love at 16 with someone he knew only two months and who was now thousands of miles away…but nothing to be done about it now.

"I want my little buckeye," he said, cradling his head on his arms. He closed his eyes to try to sleep. He hadn't been sleeping well because his bedtime thoughts were all about the different Avis in his notebooks.

Maybe he'd just hit on a solution to that problem. By sleeping in a sitting position, he could dream but not be quite as active, as he was when he thought of her in his bed.

His brothers were schmoozing after the presentation. He guessed he had about 20 minutes for a nap before they brought girls into the RV. His thoughts about Avi were much more chaste in this position than usual. He was sleeping with a small smile…

…_Avi smiled brightly as they walked through the school hand-in-hand, headed for the bench under the tree at the front of the building. "I love you, Rory," she said, as they sat with their arms around each other. "I'm so glad you're back."  
_"_I'll never leave you again, Avelina," he vowed, bending to kiss…_

"You've got mail," announced the voice on his laptop.

Rory awoke with a start, grabbed the computer and opened the message. He scanned the text quickly, grasping its meaning. He wasn't going to be allowed to return. His staying until after Nationals negated his otherwise valid reason for not fulfilling his obligation overseas.

"Damn," he cried loudly.

When Brittany had convinced Rory that he wasn't good for Avi, he had imagined doors slamming on his dreams. Again the massive iron door appeared in his mind. Behind it were a beloved face and voice.

…I want to tempt you (smoldering eyes)…Goodnight, fine foreigner (leaning over him)…A-rrrorrrable (flirtatious gaze)…SLAM

He choked out those same words, "No more Avi".


	3. So Much Going On

Santana pulled on the personally offensive t-shirt and glanced at herself in the mirror. Al Motta had given the remaining O-mazing Race contestants (those who had found their notices of congratulations in various parts of the state where their clues had led them) new shirts with his picture (smarmy mug, as Santana had said) on the back.

"Only for Maria, she said yet again. She smiled as she thought of Maria Vaughn, with her flowing red-gold hair, striking black eyebrows and soulful serenity—such a contrast from Santana's own tempestuous nature. In fact the only thing that Santana had found that could disrupt that calm was tardiness.

So she dashed out of her room and nearly ran into her sister, who was engrossed in the screen of her new smart phone.

"Are you watching Rory's Dublin speech again?" Santana asked Avi.

The younger girl nodded, using Santana's interruption as an excuse to rewind the recording to its beginning. "He's so good," she said proudly. "Look at the crowd. They love him."

Santana glanced at the screen. "Yeah, he's a real 21st century pied piper," she said sardonically.

Avi looked hurt; Santana looked regretful. "Sorry," she said. "Yes, he's a surprisingly good speaker."

"Not surprising at all," said Avi wistfully, returning her attention to the screen.

Santana looked at her with concern. "Why don't you come with us?" she offered.

Avi shook her head. "I've got a busy day. I'm going to work then a workout with Tina and Brittany. I have to run by the library and Rory and I are on skype tonight," she added, her eyes sparkling.

Santana shrugged and left.

Avi went to her room and pulled on her t-shirt for the Lima Bean. Her primary motive in getting the job there was to pay for the phone and her own internet account so that she and Rory could talk as long as they wanted.

She was in the second hour of her shift when a preppy-looking young man came in and ordered coffee with a shot of Courvoisier.

She smiled. "Sorry, no alcohol here but we have bourbon balls," she jokingly suggested. "You could drop them in the coffee if you want."

He grinned. "I'll take it." Avi got his order.

"You're Santana Lopez's sister, aren't you? I'm Sebastian Smythe," he said.

"Avi. Are you the guy she called Se-bastard?" Avelina asked.

He looked a little surprised. "I guess so. We didn't get off on the right foot, but I thought we'd patched it up since then. Your sister can be a little abrasive though."

Avi laughed gaily. "You must be thinking of another Santana Gloria Alberta Lopez. Okay you're right. Abrasive is her other middle name. She hasn't said that about you for a while though. So maybe you are great friends now." She moved down the counter to wait on someone else.

Sebastian watched her. "I wondered if you'd like to hang out sometime," he said.

Avi stammered, "Oh, uh, I don't know…"

He smiled. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I'm gay. I just thought since we seem to hit it off, we could just have some platonic fun."

"Sure," she responded. "My boyfriend's in Ireland so hanging out with a safe guy is probably a good idea."

"Great," Sebastian said, "smile." He snapped a pic of her with his phone then laid it on the counter for her to enter her number. "I'll be in touch," he said, getting up to leave and placing a $5 bill in the tip jar.

At the conclusion of Avi's shift, Tina came to drive her to Brittany's house. They saw Craig there.

"Hey, Popeye," Avi said. Craig grinned sheepishly.

Brittany walked him to the door. "'Bye, you big, bad bully," she cooed, giving him a small kiss.

Avi shook her head a little and grinned.

"How long has that been going on?" asked Tina.

"Off and on a few months," Avi answered.

Brittany smiled as she approached them. "Guess who's been named assistant coach for the cheerios," she said excitedly.

"That's great, Brit," said Tina. "I'm surprised Coach Sue is giving up any control of the squad."

Brittany shrugged. "With so much going on with her, she was afraid Figgins was going to name an assistant, so she chose me instead. Now are you girls ready for the workout of your lives?"

After their exercise the three girls were having fruit smoothies in Brittany's kitchen.

Brittany asked Avi, "What have you heard lately from Rory?"

Avi brought out her phone to show Brittany the clip of Rory's speech. Tina had already seen it.

"Mmm, he's so great," Brittany enthused, staring at the screen and unconsciously grazing her fingernail along her bottom lip.

Avi frowned at Brittany's reaction. She pulled back her phone and held it possessively.

Brittany looked disappointed. "Could you forward it to me anyway?" she asked.

"You can find it," Avi said petulantly.

Brittany looked away and mumbled, "I knew I was right to see him alone at the airport".

Avi snapped her head up in Brittany's direction. "What?"

The blonde woman hadn't felt the Lopez glare since she'd stopped seeing Santana. Faced with it now from the usually much more genial Avi, she stumbled over her next words. "I knew him…longer…than you. He…lived here…for months. I liked him too," she finished more strongly.

Avi asked coldly, "What do you mean you saw him alone?"

Now Brittany answered defiantly, "While you were clinging to him I went to wait for him at the gate. He took some pics of me. He said his friends had seen tons of you already and he wanted to show them me too. And I kissed him good-bye."

Tina had instinctively moved so that she was more or less between them.

Brittany softened her tone. "I know he loves you. I wasn't trying to take anything away from that. I just wanted to say good-bye to him. He didn't know I'd be there but I thought I deserved a few minutes alone with him."

Avi wasn't relenting. "What you deserve is not to have your eyes scratched out in your own house. Come on, Tina," she said fiercely, stalking toward the door.

In the car she stared ahead. Her lips moved rapidly but she was quiet, something for which Tina was thankful. It would have been jarring to hear those words come out of sweetheart Avi's mouth.

Tina looked over at her. "It was just a good-bye. Brittany said she surprised him."

Avi returned her gaze. "Oh yeah, and how would you feel if she'd 'surprised' Mike?" she asked.

Involuntarily, Tina's foot went down a little harder on the accelerator. "Brittany isn't capable of jealousy herself so she doesn't understand it in other people. She would have been perfectly happy to share Rory with you, just as she would have been perfectly happy if Santana had been willing to share her with Rory."

Avi drummed her fingers on the console between the front bucket seats.

"Everything changed when you got here. You know that," Tina reasoned.

Avi turned to her. "Yeah, okay. We give Brittany a pass because of her 'child-like innocence'. How would you have felt about Mike?"

Again the car surged as Tina pressed harder on the gas pedal. "It's different for us. We can be together and fight and make up. You and Rory can't. So maybe you want to avoid the fighting. Or maybe that's a good reason to break it off with him."

"Are you crazy?" Avi asked.

"Then what do you want to do? Torture him for something that happened weeks ago that he can't do anything to correct? Or are you so upset because you don't think you can trust him?" Tina asked.

Avi was quiet. She took a book out of Rory's old bag. "Pull in here," she said as they approached the library. "I need to renew this."

Tina parked in front of the library and Avi jumped out of the car. She absent-mindedly left her phone on the seat. Tina knew she only had a couple of minutes. She selected the number.

Rory's voice quickly came on the phone. "Avelina, I didn't think I'd hear from you again until we skype later. Is everything alright?"

"It's Tina," she said. "I just thought I should warn you…"


	4. R U Ready

"R U ready to show me ur pretty face," read the text from Rory.

"No" was the reply from Avi.

Rory, forewarned by Tina of Avi's pique, grinned at that answer.

"Y," he asked innocently.

"Wouldn't u rather see Brittanys pretty face," she punched in viciously.

Still grinning, Rory next wrote "Is there sumthin you want 2 talk about".

"No"

"R U sure"

Avi could imagine Rory's cajoling expression—the half smile, hypnotic eyes, his hands touching her face…. "maybe," she wrote.

He smiled bigger. "She's so freakin' cute," he said out loud, using one of the Americanisms he'd learned.

He wrote "I think we should talk about it face2face, don't u? Please Avi. I've been lookn' 4ward 2 this"

After a minute he got the response "Alright, fine. I'm connecting now."

Rory turned to his computer and tried to control his smirk, as Avi appeared on the screen.

"Where's the beautiful smile?" he asked lovingly.

Avi, still pouting, crossed her arms. "I left it at Brittany's when I found out about your private good-bye," she said, punctuating her words with a dominant bottom lip.

He no longer thought it was amusing when he saw how hurt she looked. "Brittany told you?" he asked, giving her an opening to say what she wanted.

"Yeah, she told me," Avi said tartly. "You made me stay there with everybody and then you ran off to see your roomie and take pictures of her and kiss her."

Rory looked at her seriously. "You can't believe that," he said. "I asked you to stay with the others because I couldn't have gotten on the plane and left you there alone. It took all of my strength to walk away from you, even when you were with people who love you. And you're all I've though about since then."

Avi lowered her eyes. Rory was conscious of the heavy lids and her silky eyelashes brushing her high cheekbones. "My kiss wasn't your last one before you got on the plane," she said in a small voice, minus the vitriol.

Rory's hands itched to touch her. "I still had your kiss on my lips and in my mind, Avelina. I barely noticed Brittany's. I couldn't wait to get on the plane to read your answer to my notebook."

She dropped her head but not before Rory saw a tiny smile and slight blush.

"Let me see you," he coaxed. She raised her head.

"Lovely," he said with a smile. "I enjoy your fire and temper when I know I can smooth it over. But the thought of you being hurt and staying mad at me…I can't stand that. Are you able to forgive me?"

"Hmph," Avi interjected lightly. It was impossible for her not to forgive that face anything, and Brittany had said that she'd surprised him. Tina's words came back to her—did she want to torture him or break up with him—neither. "Yes," she answered.

He smiled. "That's my girl. How's your job going?"

"Fine," she said, "I met somebody today that you might know. He knows Santana and he's a Warbler."

Rory felt tension building in him. "What's his name?"

"Sebastian," she said.

He huffed loudly. "You talked?"

"Sure. He seemed fun. We're going to the movie in a couple of days. He said he's gay so I thought it would be nice spending some time with a safe guy. I've missed male companionship," she said with mock woe.

He grinned, "what about Craig?"

She shrugged. "I ran into him at Brittany's. He's usually there or on the ice. Anyway," she said, dropping her eyes again, "I don't want to hang out with a boy who might develop interest in me. That's why I jumped at Sebastian's offer."

Rory looked at her with understanding. "I know how you feel. I'm with my brothers all the time right now. It might be nice to just talk to a girl but the only one I want to talk to is you."

"Oh, come on," said Avi. "I'm sure mayors in the towns where you speak have been throwing their daughters at you."

He tilted his head in acknowledgment. "I've had a few introductions but nothing sparks my interest. I left everything but my brain with you."

She grinned.

He grew thoughtful. "Avelina, there's something I have to tell you."

Her smile faded. "Do you mean that you're not eligible to come back as a foreign exchange student?"

"How did you know?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I checked the rules on the website."

Rory looked sad. She said, "You've made yourself too important to your country for them to let you go right now anyway. We'll have to figure out something else."

"I'm so sorry, Avelina."

She managed a smile. "You shouldn't be. I'm so proud of you. I just have to share you."

Rory clutched the sides of the computer screen and stared into her eyes. "I swear that I will hold you within a month."

"I'll hold you to that," she said with forced gaiety. "Bye, sexy speaker"

"Goodnight, bonny buckeye"

And simultaneously their screens went black.

* * *

The next day Rory connected on skype with Craig. He had requested the meeting because he was worried about Avi.

"Are you sure she's alright?" he asked. "She looks thinner, like she's losing weight. I know she's a picky eater but I hope at least she's eating. I'm afraid she's not taking care of herself."

Craig laughed. "You should talk. No offense, brother, but to be the face of a movement, you look like hell."

"I haven't been sleeping much," Rory explained without going into detail. "I just don't want her feeling so bad that she's…" he wasn't sure how to finish. It sounded so egotistical to say he hoped she wasn't missing him so much that she wasn't eating.

Craig understood and laughed. "You think she's pining for you. I know you're the love of her life but you really don't know her very well. That's not Avi. She takes action. I'm not supposed to tell you but…she's dieting to try to get a modeling job in Europe."

"What?" Rory asked sharply.

Craig nodded. "Yeah, since you can't come back here, she's trying to get there. She was offered a job in Asia but she turned it down. She only wants Europe."

"Avelina is coming here?" Rory asked, this time excited.

"If she can get a job, yeah," Craig said.

"Of course she will," said Rory, his exhilaration growing, "who can resist her?"

Craig shrugged. "Somebody did. That's why she's dieting now. And it's harder because she doesn't want to go back to New York since all of the V-boys are out on bail."

Rory was hardly paying attention to Craig now, as he began to think of Avi so close to him. Not even the mention of Ralston and his "network of urban scum" lessened his new anticipation.

"Don't tell her I told you," Craig requested. "Now that I see your reaction, I get why she didn't want you to know until she had everything worked out."

"Huh, oh, no, I won't tell," Rory managed to say. "But thanks for letting me know. See ya, Craig."

Rory was so excited now. "Avelina…here…coming for me…no limits. I'll have to make sure she has things that she'll eat while she's here…lots of vegetables, good cheese to nibble." He recalled the lunch he'd fixed for her and the taste of her kisses. Licking his lips, he added with a smile, "chilled Peppermint Patties".


	5. Focus

There was an undeniable zest in Rory now. He whistled, he ran every day, he slept better. The dark circles under his eyes faded. His voice was stronger. All of that made him nearly irresistible to the increasingly female audiences for the Flanagan Brothers events. Those audiences now screamed as though they were at a rock concert.

Brian was relieved that Rory was happier. He knew it had something to do with the doll in Ohio but Rory was vague about it. He was focused, however, when it came to their mission.

The three of them, including youngest brother Seamus, agreed that it was time to re-think how to convey the peace message.

They had one more appearance before a college crowd in Belfast, planned as their biggest event yet, and then they were going home to relax, recharge and refine their campaign.

Also Brian and Rory knew that they needed to get "Shameless Seamus" off the road before their mother got an inkling of his behavior. Brian took responsibility to ensure that Seamus never went all the way with the girls that he welcomed in the RV but the boy, not quite 15, was becoming unbearably cocky.

"I looked up the bio of the college president," he said, as the brothers pulled their RV into a parking lot to sleep for the night. "He has a couple of daughters. The 18 year-old is gorgeous. I call dibs," he said.

His older brothers looked at him with irritation.

Rory took his laptop off the charger for a planned skype with Avi. It had been two weeks since Craig had told him about Avi's plan to come to Europe and he expected her to tell him any day now that she was on her way.

Apparently, though it wouldn't be today. Avi seemed a little down.

I miss you so much, Rory," she said. "It's beginning to feel like we'll never see each other again."

Rory wasn't supposed to know about her travel plans so he couldn't discuss it with her.

"That won't happen, Avelina," he said determinedly. "I told you we'll be together within a month."

She sighed heavily. "I haven't figured out anything; have you?"

He had to bite his tongue to keep from asking about her progress in finding a continental modeling job. "No," he admitted. "But we're going home for a little while so I'll have more time to think about it."

She looked a little resentful. "Well it's nice that you'll be able to think about me after you get away from the screaming girls."

He returned her look with a twinkle in his eye. "There's only one girl I want to make scream."

With a quick intake of breath and feigned offense Avi exclaimed, "Rory Michael, just what are you suggesting?"

He grinned, "Maybe that I want to sneak up behind you and say 'boo'?"

"That's better," she said, continuing her prim act. Then she rested an elbow on her desk and placed her chin in her cupped hand.

"When do you really think we'll be together," she asked longingly.

He unconsciously adopted the same position. "I don't know, Avelina. I just know we will."

She bit her bottom lip. He asked, "Do you have any plans this evening?"

She nodded. "Sebastian and I are going shopping."

"What's going on with everyone else," he asked, not able to get over his dislike of the Warbler whom Avi said was safe mail companionship.

She began ticking off their friends' agendas. "All of the graduates are packing and planning for going to school. Santana and Maria are in Louisville right now to visit the campus and for her to start practicing with the cheer squad. They decided to go there from Loveland when they went to Chateau LaRouche (you know…the castle) for their last O-mazing Race clue. I made up with Brittany. Tina's attached at Mike's hip until he leaves for school. Artie's on a long vacation with his family. Craig's at hockey camp. Let's see…did I leave out anyone?"

He grinned and suppressed a sleepy yawn, "Blaine, Ang and Joe."

She finished, "Blaine's working at Six Flags. Santana went to see him since she was so close when they were in Loveland. Ang is the new cheerio co-captain with Becky so she's attached to Brittany's hip and I haven't seen or heard from Joe…oh, Axe (the nickname she'd given the lead guitarist) came to the Lima Bean the other day. He's working at Between the Sheets and said to tell you 'hi'."

Rory felt jealousy rise at the mention of the blond boy, who could spend time with Avi when Rory couldn't. He'd have no reason to extend greeting to Rory, except to needle him with that fact. It worked.

On Avi's side of the line, he heard a doorbell.

"That's Sebastian," she said. "I guess I need to go now. I love you, Rory."  
Rory began his sign-off, "Good night, pretty pr…."

The line went dead. Rory slept fitfully, with zero zest.


	6. Theater Kids

_**a/n Reference to Don Juan DeMarco not as random as it might seem in context. It's been on my mind, as I just used it as a plot point in the last Damily story, Tell Me Have You Ever Really. So it's probably a good time for disclaimer. I don't own or have any association with that movie or Glee, etc etc**_

Shopping in downtown Lima was a new experience for Sebastian, who usually didn't venture outside the mall, but Avi convinced him it would be fun. The first place she wanted to go was the second-hand store where she'd found the dress for her torch song.

They were rummaging through bins of vintage men's slacks. "So how's the Irishman," Sebastian asked, pulling out a pair of crushed velvet burgundy bell bottoms.

"He's in Ireland," whimpered Avi. "And I haven't figured out a way to get there yet."

"Well you need to be careful," he warned. "You're kind of desperate and that can make you vulnerable to some scam where you end up in an oil baron's harem or something."

She giggled. "Just imagine your fate if you were with me. Isn't the man usually turned into a eunuch slave, like in Don Juan deMarco? Anyway, give me a little credit. I think I'd recognize a scam like that. Why don't you try those on with….this," she said, picking out a paisley fake silk shirt.

With his meerkat grin he took the clothes to the dressing room. Avi went to look for men's platform shoes.

Sebastian came out in the over-the-top outfit, grabbed Avi and led her in a spontaneous dance routine, straight out of a B-disco movie. They were tango-ing back to the dressing rooms when Sebastian noticed a flyer on a bulletin board…

_**THEATER KIDS WANTED  
**__**FOR CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM  
**__**TOURING THIS SUMMER IN  
**__**NORTHERN ENGLAND, IRELAND AND SCOTLAND  
**__**AUDITIONS THIS WEEK ONLY AT THE  
**__**DAYTON DOUBLETREE INN**_

Avi became excited. "This is perfect. And the director of the program has such a good reputation. It's definitely legitimate. Why don't you come and audition with me tomorrow?"

Sebastian looked excited too. "Yeah, what self-respecting theater kid could pass up such an opportunity?"


	7. Close

The next morning Rory tried to sleep in, as Brian drove the RV toward Belfast.

In the light of day, it was a little easier to block out thoughts of Avi with her new gay bestie, whom Rory still couldn't stand...not to mention Axe, just waiting for his chance…plus Craig, who had as much as told Rory that all Avi had to do was say the word. She'd dismissed the subject of Artie too quickly and they hadn't even talked about Puck or Rick the Stick or the rest of the student body. And what if Sebastian introduced her to the rest of the Warblers? Most of them were straight and sophisticated. Sophisticated and handsome were the words that Avi had used when she first told Rory about Ralston…great…now he could think about that again.

He threw off his covers and gave up on sleeping. He went to take his turn at the wheel, releasing some of his pent up fury, at the expense of the gas and brake pedals.

He drove directly to one of the sponsoring churches, as usual, for the brothers to freshen up and pick up the community's donations to provide for them on the road.

The secretary for the president of the college was there to extend an invitation from the president and his family for lunch.

The secretary took them to the venue so that they could check out acoustics, size of the stage, etc. and plan adjustments to their presentation.

On the walk to the president's house, Seamus rubbed his hands in delightful anticipation of the daughters. Brian and Rory wrestled him to the ground and they all engaged in a little horseplay.

They heard a pretty laugh above them and looked up at the president's daughter. She had to be the 18 year-old, because Rory couldn't imagine one being more gorgeous.

They stood and dusted off and tried to straighten their disheveled appearance. The girl informally introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Diana. We've been waiting for you…this way," she said, crooking her finger and leading them to the large stone cottage.

True to his nature, Rory watched her walk. It was stately, gliding. Avi's was…earthier, with a natural wiggle that made Rory momentarily close his eyes and groan softly at the memory.

Diana heard the sound and looked back at him with a meaningful smile.

In the house she introduced the boys to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Collins, and her younger sister Bridget. Seamus had been struck mute by Diana but he found his voice with Bridget.

They sat next to each other at the table. Diana sat across from Rory and gave him innocent, closed-mouth smiles. She ate everything on her plate with gusto. Rory noticed at least three foods on the table that picky-eater Avi wouldn't have touched.

After lunch Brian and President Collins went to his study to continue their discussion of the boys' mission and possible changes. Seamus and Bridget headed to the rec room to (ahem) play video games. Mrs. Collins suggested that Diana take Rory for a stroll through the garden.

She was a contrast to Avi in every possible way. She had light brown hair and was perfectly composed, while Avi was dark-haired and passionate. She was almost as tall as Rory. Avi was at least two or three inches shorter than Diana.

Away from her parents, Diana dropped the demure act. She led Rory to a secluded area of the garden. She pressed herself against him and said seductively, "You're so hot".

Her eyes were blue. Rory felt as though he saw his own blue eyes reflected in hers. Avi's were dark, nearly black—a darkness in which someone could become lost and never want to be found.

"Thanks," Rory said, covering his effort to create some distance by moving to pick up a fallen bloom and hand it to her. "You're very pretty."

She looked at him directly. Avi would have pouted adorably. "You don't act like you think I'm pretty. Don't you like girls?"

This time Rory didn't move as she stepped closer to him. Then he said in a rush "…a lot…and I love one".

"What's her name," Diana asked softly, using her hand to brush Rory's wavy hair off of his forehead.

He swallowed hard. "Avi," he answered, "Avelina Luz Lopez".

Diana lifted an eyebrow with a slightly superior look. "That doesn't sound like someone from around her," she said with a little snark in her voice.

The derision didn't register in Rory's sleep-deprived brain. "No," he answered matter-of-factly, "she's in Ohio, USA".

"Ah, yes, I read that you were a foreign exchange student," she said, now running her fingertips over the side of his face. "Well, Ohio's a long way from here, isn't it?"

Rory studied her face. Her complexion was so pale, with a whisper of peachy-pink. Avi's skin was like honey and had a more vibrant natural blush.

Diana looked away for a second and Rory was aware of her profile. Her nose was long and straight, what writers would call patrician. Avi's was…He couldn't remember the features of her nose.

When Diana turned back to him, her face was even closer to his. Rory said to himself, "If I kiss her, her nose will rub my cheek a little. That didn't happen with Avi. This wouldn't be happening at all if she weren't so far away, with a least ten guys ready to fill in for me. It still doesn't have to happen; walk away. I am," he told himself, even though he didn't move, except that his head inclined more toward Diana.

"When I kiss her…" his internal monologue continued…

"_How lucky can one guy be_…" sang his phone. He'd made his and Avi's Nationals duet his ringtone for her.

With happiness and relief, maybe even a feeling of escape, he took his phone out of his pocket.

"Hello, my beauty," he said heartily. "Could you hold on for a second?"

He kissed Diana's hand with gallantry and indifference and said, "It was nice meeting you. I'm going to take a nap before the presentation. Could you tell my brothers I've gong back to the RV?"

He walked away from her, speaking animatedly to his dark-haired, dark-eyed, petite, turned-up-nosed-love in Ohio, USA.


	8. If You Want Me

"Hello, my beauty, could you hold on for a second?"

Avi waited, hearing Rory speak to someone in the background. She was at the audition for Theater Kids Intl and had just wanted to hear him for inspiration.

"Right," he said, returning to the phone, "I'm all yours now".

Something about the way he said that didn't sound right. He sounded as if she'd just saved him from…something.

"Whose were you before," she asked with forced gaiety.

In about the same tone he answered "Oh, just another adoring fan".

Avi commanded herself not to analyze that statement too carefully. "I can only talk for a minute, but I realized I didn't give you a proper goodbye yesterday," she said.

Rory smiled as he walked to the RV. She was so easy to love…and tease. "It's about time you called to correct yourself. How am I supposed to sleep without a little wordplay/foreplay?"

Avi giggled and noticed she was next to perform. "Is it my imagination, or are you developing a one-track mind," she asked playfully.

"You bring it out in me," he said in the husky tone that she recognized and that made her tingle. "And being away from you brings it out even more."

"Avelina Lopez," called the stage manager.

"Gotta go," she said in a rush. "I love you, Raunchy Rory."

He heard the dial tone signifying she was gone before he even attempted a response.

Was it his imagination or had she sounded evasive?

"Forget it," he said to himself. "Even though she's so damned busy, she called just to say she loves me and to remind me why I love her. Timing couldn't have been more perfect," he concluded, falling into his bed and a fast sleep.

Avi turned off her phone and moved to center stage. "Hello," she said with a bright smile, "I'm thrilled for the chance to audition for this program. I was anxious to get to Ireland this summer and this is perfect".

At the front desk, the reputable theater program director, who had been abruptly fired and replaced, fumed as she checked out of the hotel.

Her replacement sat behind the partition in the unused section of the convention hall, and tapped his pen impatiently on his leg during Avi's opening remarks.

"Just sing," he commanded under his breath.

Avi continued, "So I'll be singing 'If You Want Me' from the Tony-winning Irish musical 'Once'.

She began the breathy, minor key tune, thinking of Rory as she sang

_Are you really here  
__Or am I dreamin'  
__It's been so long since I've seen your face_

The new director nodded with satisfaction, as his representatives to whom Avi was singing listened appreciatively.

_With pride in his eyes, a lover that sighs,_

She continued, traversing her high range hauntingly. She moved to more powerful tones for repetitions of the last lyric,

_If you want me, satisfy me  
__If you want me, satisfy me_

Waiting for his turn to audition, Sebastian also smiled approvingly, as he texted, "Wow, no one will be able to say it was fixed."

While singing Avi had lost sense of where she was and gazed into space, as though she were looking across the room, outside the hotel and over the ocean. She brushed away a little tear, as the stage manager said, "Thank you…next".

Both she and Sebastian made it through the first round and the basic choreography screening. They went to lunch and returned for the final try-outs that included reading dialogue.

In the end there were three couples remaining. The assistant director praised them all for their hard work and talent. "You can expect a call within 24 hours," he promised.

Avi and Sebastian excitedly recounted their experiences to each other on the trip back to Lima. She turned on her phone and saw numerous missed calls and texts from Rory.

She attempted to call him and had to leave a voice mail, "Hi. I'm sorry I missed you. I had my phone off for a few hours. I hope nothing's wrong. Good luck tonight, my rockin' revolutionary."

She added to herself as she hung up the phone, "I'll be there as soon as I can".


	9. Why?

After his long nap, Rory tried to contact Avi. He tried for more than four hours and couldn't reach her.

Possibly because he had come so close himself to giving into temptation, Rory automatically imagined Avi in a similar situation.

"Why else wouldn't she answer," Rory asked himself. He knew she wasn't working that day because her twitter from yesterday had read, "Whew day off tomorrow. Caffeine burns my nose but its worth it. #ajobsajob".

"Nobody knows where you are. I'm getting worried," he texted to her. In desperation he'd contacted Maria, Tina, Ang, even Kurt, to see if anyone had heard from her. He'd taken chastisement from them for being such a territorial Neanderthal. But none of them could ease his mind by simply telling him where Avi was.

He switched from angry to worried all afternoon and early evening. Brian tried to calm him before their appearance at the college. "Have a little faith in her," he said, as they went on stage. "What's she ever done to justify your suspicion?"

Behind the curtain Rory looked out at the crowd and saw Diana in the VIP section. Just before he went out for their trio, he got Avi's voice mail.

"Had her phone off for a few hours…what the Hell did that mean," he grumbled, returning to angry.

His voice was growly during the songs and incite-ful (as in incite to riot) for his speech. He noticed Diana's reaction was similar to Avi's when she first heard him sing. He'd decided to forego the guitar solo. He wanted to downplay the concert atmosphere that had been developing, and it made him think of the big-lipped lead guitarist whom Avi had nicknamed Axe. Since yesterday he'd developed an intense jealousy of him.

He left the stage after his speech for Brian to handle the audience participation alone. Soon there was a knock on the door of the small room reserved for the Flanagans. He knew who it was.

He opened the door a little and leaned on the frame. Diana slinked under his arm, gliding her body along his, to gain entry. She was thin and delicate-boned and didn't have Avi's ideal proportions and curves. While most of the largely female audience had been wearing jeans or shorts, Diana was wearing a simple summer dress in a light pink color. He noticed because Avi seldom wore pastels. It was more evidence of their many differences in looks and personality.

She sat down on the beige pleather sofa in the room and crossed her long legs. "You were amazing," she said breathily, lighting a cigarette. "You certainly know how to appeal to the masses."

Rory had stopped smoking in America, when he'd noticed that none of his friends in glee club did. Luckily it had never been a strong habit, but he'd always fantasized about sharing a cigarette with a beautiful girl (partly because of his love of Bond movies, partly because the phallic suggestion was obvious) and Avi didn't smoke.

He sat down next to Diana and held out his fingers while raising his eyebrows at her. She handed him the cigarette and he took a couple of draws on it. He gave it back to her then leaned in to kiss her.

Diana had decided after his rejection earlier to string him along a little. She stood up and said, "I wanted to invite you to our house later for a party, sans masses, of course," she said, again with the slightly superior tone. "Bridget already invited your brothers."

Seeing her this time, Rory had no problem remembering exactly how Avi looked, as he imagined her being kissed and held by Axe and Puck and Joe, Artie, Craig and strangers wearing blue blazers.

"Why should I come," asked Rory, rising from the sofa and standing in front of her. He spoke in the husky tone that signaled his desire.

"Why shouldn't you," she countered. "You could meet me in the garden and not see anyone else, if you'd like," she offered.

He grabbed her around the waist just as a student volunteer knocked on the door and poked his head in to tell Rory that he was needed on stage.

He gave Diana a quick kiss, with the promise of more later, and joined his brothers for the finale.

Rory had, of course, turned off his phone when he went on stage. Avi knew the presentation was scheduled for 8:00 his time so she didn't bother to contact him until 10:00

He had a text message from her right at that time when he reactivated the phone, "How did it go? Call me as soon as you can. I miss you, A-Rorable. …Just waiting to roll it for you, Luz-lips."

He read her note with a smile but some lingering resentment, doubt and now …guilt.

Back in the room, he was surprisingly relieved to see that Diana was gone. Brian and Seamus left to change for the party, so Rory had the room all to himself.

He called Avi, almost hoping she wouldn't answer.

Her answer was instantaneous. "Hi, my man, how are you," she asked cheerfully.

Rory realized how much he'd missed that tone in her voice. He became hopeful that she was going to tell him that she was on her way to him.

"I'm good, in spite of missing you so much," he said wistfully. "What have you been up to today?"

Avi didn't want to tell him about the audition until she heard from the director. "Just doing some cleaning with Mama," she said. "I'm sorry I forgot my phone before. Tina said that you called her looking for me. Was there something wrong?"

As a practiced liar, Rory knew when someone was dishonest with him.

"Why are you lying, Avelina," he asked with anguish.

"Huh," she said in the classic stall for time.

Rory closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "You're not telling me the truth," he said in carefully measured tones. "What were you doing today?"

"I was with Sebastian," she said, hoping a half-truth would be enough. "I didn't want to tell you because I know you don't like him and I didn't want to waste the little time we have talking about him."

Before yesterday, when Rory allowed his imagination to run amok, that answer would probably have satisfied him. Now though the mention of Sebastian triggered his masochistic vision-a lascivious Avi in a sea of blue blazers.

"What did you do with Sebastian? Did you see anyone else?" (Maybe I am a territorial Neanderthal) he said to himself.

Avi was close to the same opinion. "Why are you acting like this," she asked, with her own feeling of disappointment and hurt.

"Because I worried about you for hours," he said in a rush. "I almost couldn't do the show," he added without thinking.

Avi sneered. "Is that what you call it now? Your grand peace mission sort of got lost in all the groupies, huh? And while we're on that subject, why don't you tell me what you've been doing today."

Rory was taken aback by Avi's question and her tone. "What does that mean," he asked, employing his own delaying tactic.

Avi answered, "You can tell when someone is lying; I sense guilt and shame. I know that's the reason you're acting the way you are now."

Instead of confessing, Rory upped the ante. "Whatever I've done, it's not as bad as being tied to a bed by someone twice my age, as a porcelain-slash-blow-up doll, Little Avi."

She gasped then was quiet. Her voice was shaky when she spoke again. "Well you've kept that inside for a while. I'll give you a minute, Rory, to decide if that's the last thing you ever want to say to me. Because I'm about to hang up and never speak to you again."

Rory stood in the middle of the room, shocked at his own words. If he were in front of her, he could grovel and beg forgiveness. But over thousands of miles, he'd crushed her with one statement. What could he say? All he could hear on her end were little snuffling sounds to indicate that she was crying. He felt as though he was on some kind of deadline to make things right and he couldn't do it. "I'm….," he began, right at the moment that he heard nothing but a dial tone.

Avi, curled up in the squashy armchair in her bedroom, gave in to big, gulping sobs and a flood of tears. Rory, stupefied, fell to his knees on the hard, cold floor, staring at nothing.


	10. Talk It Over

Rory recovered from his near catatonic state in minutes and tried to text, call, email, send subconscious messages to Avi. "I'm sorry, I love you. Please forgive me," he chanted. She wouldn't respond.

He rushed out of the building and headed roughly west, as if running toward her, saying the same phrase over and over.

In desperation he called Maria. He knew that she'd be disgusted with him; particularly after the lecture she'd given him earlier that day, but knew in the end that she'd help him. After all she still owed him for the introduction to Santana.

After talking to her, he went to prepare the special message for Avi that Maria had agreed was probably his only chance.

She was driving back with Santana from Louisville. "Why don't we go to see your sister," she suggested, "and tell her everything that happened to us".

Santana looked at her with a smile and took the turn for Lima Heights Adjacent.

Avi wished she could turn off her phone but it was still early evening and she was expecting the call from TKI about her audition, though at the moment she didn't know if she still wanted to go to Europe or not.

So she had to endure the repeated sounds of Rory trying to reach her. Her crying was quieter now and she'd taken a long, hot bath. She was adjusting to her misery.

"Avi, get down here. We want to tell you about our trip," yelled Santana.

Avi glanced in the mirror to see if she could fake a smile then ran downstairs.

Santana took one look at her though and asked, "What's wrong? Why have you been crying?"

Avi wasn't ready to talk about Rory yet. She stalled, "nothing, I um…"

Maria studied Avi then hit a button so that her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen and said, "There's been an accident. Rory and his brothers…"

Avi looked stricken, her eyes nearly doubled in size. "What kind of accident? Is he alright," she whimpered.

Maria looked at her. "You're worried about him?"

"Of course," said Avi.

"You love him," Maria pressed.

"Yes, is he alright," asked Avi, now ready to strangle Maria.

The redhead smiled. "He's fine. I just thought you needed to be reminded how much you care about him."

Santana looked from her girlfriend to her sister, confused.

"You made it up," accused Avi, incensed.

Maria didn't look contrite when she said, "Sorry, yeah, I did. You wouldn't answer Rory so he went through me. The accident idea just came to me. Do you want to see his real message," she asked, holding out her phone with the video clip ready to play.

Avi took the phone and moved to the other side of the room.

Rory did look contrite, saying, "I'm so very sorry, Avelina. I love you so much. I have an idea, if you're willing…"

He began singing…

_Baby, oh sweet baby  
__I didn't mean a word that I said  
__You know that I love you  
__Can we talk it over in bed?_

Avi's heartbeat quickened, as she stared down at the phone's screen

_I never meant to hurt you  
__Must've been out of my head  
__Tell me you still want me  
__Can we talk it over in bed?_

He stopped singing for a minute and looked straight ahead. "Please talk to me, Avi. I'm in bed waiting for you…whatever time…I don't care. I love you."

_Come a little closer  
__Can we just forgive and forget  
__Well now everything seems to work out  
__When we talk it over in bed_

Avi turned to face the grinning Maria. She tossed her the phone. "I'm going to bed," she announced, running upstairs.

Santana sat quietly frowning. "You planned this whole thing."

To her, Maria did look apologetic. "You saw the way she looked and you should have heard Rory earlier. They need each other. We can tell her later how great you were tonight—first with the flat tire. Then I missed that turnoff because it was impossible to cross that many lanes of traffic from the onramp before we passed it. So then the GPS couldn't reconfigure and we got lost. You were so cool in spite of all of those setbacks. Hot-tempered Santana never complained once. It was the sexiest thing I've ever seen," she finished.

Santana looked only partially mollified. "Still, you should have told me. I don't like not knowing what's going on."

Maria looked at her enticingly, "Can we talk it over in bed," she sang in her warm alto, pulling Santana by the hand so that they could drive to her apartment. Santana followed willingly.

In her room, Avi was glad to see that Rory had sent the song to her as well.

She went through all of her bed clothes and chose a light blue short nightie, one of the few pastels she had, but she thought it contrasted well with her skin and black hair.

She pulled back her covers and gasped at the "I'm a Be-lieber" sheets. She changed them for white sheets of a good material that seemed to shimmer.

Shimmer—that's what she needed. She lightly dusted herself with some gold powder that lent a suggestion of sparkle to her shoulders and chest.

She positioned the extension of her drop-leaf bedside table over her bed and set her laptop on it then sent a message to Rory, "I'm ready for bed now".

He received the message with a thrill and relief and brought his laptop close.

He saw the empty bed then Avi, in a tiny silk and lace gown, seductively lower herself into it.

He gaped. "You look so pretty, Avelina. Thank you for agreeing to talk to me."

Avi sat up straight with a pained look, again hearing the voice that had devastated her just a couple of hours earlier. "I love you, but you said you'd never hold what happened to me against me. And the first time since hearing about it that you were really mad at me, you did."

Rory had to make her understand. "I don't hold that or anything against you, Avi. I wasn't even mad at you. I'm just jealous of your former lover. He's touched you and done things for you that I haven't. Every stupid thing I've done the last couple of days has been because of jealousy. I'm jealous of anyone who's closer to you than I am right now…so that's everyone in the Americas."

Avi shook her head. "Don't you trust me?"

He lowered his eyes. "When I'm thinking I do but I stopped thinking. I've been driving myself crazy, imagining you with everyone you know and even people you don't know. I'm sorry. It isn't fair to you. I just want you with me so bad."

He looked at her longingly. "When are you coming, Avelina. Please tell me it'll be soon."

She was shocked. "What are you talking about," she asked.

His expression said "Don't try to fool me." He said "Craig told me you're trying to get a job here. I've been so excited about that. Then you started hanging around Sebastian and I don't think you're working on it anymore. It's like you're getting used to life without me."

He tossed his head around then caught it in his hands. "I can't do that; I don't want to do that. I just want you here before I…"

He dropped his eyes again.

"Is there something you want to tell me, Rory," Avi coaxed.

"No," he said, still with his head down, "but there's something I need to tell you."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to prepare herself. "I'm listening," she said.

Rory's face epitomized guilt. "I've been so good. Yes, there have been a lot of girls around but I haven't paid attention to any of them. But yesterday, when I got so crazy, thinking about you with…everyone, I met somebody. And I kissed her, just before I called you back."

Avi sighed in relief that it wasn't worse. "One girl, one kiss," she asked.

Rory nodded.

"Do you like her?"

He actually hadn't thought about that. "No, not even as a person," he realized. "I just want you. I know that I like everything about you."

She smiled. "Like what," she asked.

He looked at her intently for a minute then requested, "Lie back, Avi".

She placed her head on the pillow and stretched out.

Rory stared. "That's a very cute little gown," he said huskily.

"I'm glad you like it," she responded.

Still staring, Rory said, "I like the way you smell when I hold you really tight. I like that bump under your left knee. What I miss most though is your perfect cupid's bow mouth."

Avi giggled. "Cupid's bow—did you look that up?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Want to hear what else I looked up?"

"Not now," she said. "It's my turn."

She got an impish look on her face and rolled over on her side, placing the laptop in front of her. "I like how you stand with your legs wide apart. It makes the perfect place for me to sit and curl up around one of them."

"God, she's good," thought Rory, feeling tension building inside.

I like how your eyes scour me," she said, emphasizing the verb. "Then your voice comes along, dripping honey, and soothes the places where you scratched," she continued, rubbing the side of her face on her shoulder.

Rory stretched out on his side too, with his laptop in front of him, so it was as though they were lying next to each other.

"I miss your pinch-able cheeks….front and back," Avi finished with a mischievous smile.

He grinned in response. If he hadn't already loved her, this would have sealed the deal.

"That's my girl," he said. No cool blonde for me. I like her hot and spicy and sweet enough to taste it on her. Nothing else is going to satisfy me."

Avi sang the lyric from earlier that day, "If you want me, satisfy me".

Rory sighed in pleasure and looked at her image with his eyelids drooping. "I don't hear you sing enough. Gimme more."

Avi noticed how tired he looked. "If I do, will you go to sleep?"

"Maybe," he answered.

She touched the screen with two fingers that she slid down his face. "Close your eyes, Rory," she whispered.

He did and she sang slow and sultry, another repurposed torch song,

_Oh, he's my dear, my darlin' one_

With his eyes still closed, Rory grinned, as he recognized the song.

_His eyes so sparklin'  
__Full of fun  
__No other, no other  
__Can match the likes of him  
__He's my dear, my darlin' one  
__My smilin' and beguilin' one  
__I love the ground he walks upon  
__My darlin' Irish boy_


	11. Dear Rory

**_I've gone a couple of weeks with no new alerts on this story. Let me know if you like it. Thank you_**

* * *

"Dear Rory," Avi began her email, "I'm writing this while watching you sleep," she continued, glancing over at the skype box that she'd kept open. She expanded it to half the screen.

"Do you realize we've now been separated as long as we were together," she wrote. "I guess we've learned as much about ourselves being apart as we did when we could see each other every day."

"We know that you're more jealous than you ever thought and that I have a real temper where you're concerned."

Rory began snoring. Avi smiled. It sounded similar to his singing voice—deep but soft.

"Do you remember when we talked to Mr. Schu about all of the things we had going against us? All of that is still there, even with the distance. We both appeal to a lot of people. We have to deal with what that means. You're going to be suspicious of everyone and I'm going to over-react when I know of a definite threat, like Brittany."

"Avelina," Rory said longingly, in his sleep. "Rory," she responded with the same tone, giggling a little.

"You've proven that I can trust you with your need to confess before things got out of hand. For me you need to know that I'm not interested in anyone but you. After my experience, I didn't want to get involved with anybody. But you stood out with your sweetness and determination to have me. I couldn't resist you and didn't even try. And now it's like you said, nothing else will satisfy."

"Avi baby, c'mere," Rory said, still asleep.

"I'm here, Rory," she said.

"Mmmmmmm, you're here and you're mine. Aww, I want you so bad," he said, his sleeping voice taking on his enticing, husky quality.

He moved onto his stomach. Avi watched, fascinated. "You're very beautiful," he whispered, gliding his wide hand down the bed beneath him, as though it were Avi's body.

She felt tingly with goose bumps. "I love you," he said, beginning to slowly move his hips.

"Rory, wake up," she said, as his rhythm increased. He turned his head so that she saw his enraptured face.

Avi was flushed as she picked up her phone to call him. From Ireland she heard, "How lucky can one guy be…"

She smiled. "There's nothing about him that isn't adorable," she thought.

He woke up with a start to answer his phone. "Avelina," he said in a sleepy, befuddled voice.

"Hi," she said softly. "You looked like you were having a bad dream. I woke you so you can go back to sleep peacefully."

Rory looked at the screen and smiled at her. "I don't want to sleep; I want you," he said, a tiny glint of his blue eyes showing from under the drooping lids.

Blushing, she said, "It's time to sleep. Good night, beautiful boy. I love you."

"I love you, gorgeous girl," he said.

His array of Avi pics appeared on the screen as she disappeared.

He closed his eyes, just as his brothers entered the RV, arguing.

"But we were invited for lunch again tomorrow," said Seamus angrily. He ran his hands in his curly black hair with frustration.

"No," said his eldest brother definitively. "We're leaving now."

Rory raised himself on his elbows with only partial interest. "What's the problem," he asked groggily.

"I found our baby brother in the garden with the older sister, Diana," reported Brian with real disapproval in his voice.

Rory snickered and shook his head.

"It's not funny," said an irate Seamus, his green eyes flashing. "She really liked me."

Rory said nothing.

Brian was the shortest and most solid of the brothers. His green eyes were darker and more intense than Seamus's, like their mother's. And like her, when he took a determined stance, it was as though he became embedded in the ground, a rock that wouldn't be moved.

"We're leaving now," he said forcefully. "We'll be home in a few hours."

"That's fine with me," Rory said agreeably, returning to his reclining position, "as long as I can sleep." He cradled his laptop and added under his breath, "…with my Avelina".

* * *

On her end, Avi was still unsettled after witnessing her virtual seduction by a slumbering Rory.

She continued her email. "Where did you ever get the idea that you were cold, without strong feelings," she asked ironically. Your emotions just hadn't been tested yet. I guess that's something else I've brought out in you."

She got up from the bed and went to open a window to clear her mind. Looking at the sky, she understood how separated couples became stargazers. The stars could be links in a chain, the ends held by the wistful lovers, wanting to share something over the distance.

With a sigh she returned to her bed and computer. "I'm actually a little nervous that I can satisfy you. Other than you-know-who, I've gone farther with you than I ever have with any other boy. If you're expecting a lot of tricks up my sleeve or something, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. I just love you and want you to feel that."

Finally calm, she leaned back on her pillows and took a deep cleansing breath. "I'm really nervous though about being so much in love at an early age. And, let's face it-you're even younger than I am. It feels weird to say that I'm going to love you all of my life but it feels awful to think of some time when I wouldn't. And who is ever going to measure up to you?"

Avi had a revelation similar to St. Patrick's Day when she accepted that she really did love Rory. With the same secret smile, she wrote, "I hope you like the idea of being stuck with me because I think you're going to be. And the thought of being stuck with you forever makes me feel really good. I know we still have things to work out but we need to remember that out of all of our options, we choose each other, over and over again. And when we do have a problem, I like the idea of always working it out with pillow talk, you genius, you."

Avi read through what she'd written and then deleted most of it. In the end the email said, "Dear Rory, I'm writing this while watching you sleep. Do you realize we've now been separated as long as we were together? We still have things to work out and for us, talkng it over in bed talk seems to be a good way to do it. ;~) I look forward to our next conversation. Your loving Latina, Avi".


	12. Soon

The ringtone for Avi's phone was Rory singing "Are You Lonesome Tonight" from a glee club assignment. She woke up the next morning to that sound and answered the call from Sebastian.

"I'm in," he said with excitement in his voice, "how about you?"

Avi saw from her clock next to her bed that it was after 10. "No, you'll probably be going with Harmony," she said dejectedly.

"Nah," Sebastian said, "you sang as well as she did and danced a lot better. I'm sure you'll get the call soon. You should go ahead and start taking care of things because we'll be leaving in a few days. This was the last area for auditions."

Avi rose from the bed and began dressing for work. "I guess there are some things I should do just in case," she said with little enthusiasm. Congratulations, Sebastian, you really deserve it".

"So do you," he encouraged. "Let me know when you get the call."

Avi smiled. "Thanks, you're a good friend."

Sebastian was quiet for a few seconds then responded, "Well you are too. Call me as soon as you know."

Avi began her preparations with those items unique to her situation. She called the New York prosecutor's office to report she might be going out of the country.

The assistant DA wished her luck, assuring her that there would be no activity on her case for the next few months. "We're concentrating on the big fish first," the assistant said. "The judge has given leeway to all of them but the big three (Wall Street banker who lost billions for investors, television news producer and politician) so it could be a good time to get away," he said.

Avi next called the counselor with whom she was supposed to have an appointment next week. "If I don't make it, you're going to be dealing with a real basket case," she forced herself to say laughingly.

At work she alerted her boss to the possibility that she might be leaving in just a couple of days, though it was beginning to seem less likely, three hours since she'd spoken to Sebastian.

Tina and Sugar came to meet her for a late lunch and offer their encouragement.

"It's fate," Sugar said dreamily. "You and Rory are meant to be together." She was now an enthusiastic supporter of Rorvi, believing that Avi had made him a much better person.

Avi looked downcast.

"Sugar's right," said Tina. "The fact that the two of you have kept up the relationship against everything proves it. And what could be more perfect than your getting to him based on your singing, which he loved, and your dancing, which he really loved."

They made her feel better, at least until she returned to the Lima Bean and was alone again.

She received a text from Sebastian, "Well?"

"Well nothing," she responded.

She had a sweet text from Rory. "I'm home now. I hope to bring you here some day. Nothing would make Ma happier. She still plays our duet on YouTube all the time. She loves you too. I love you much more. I can't wait for our next conversation either. Wear that same gown."

She smiled and became flushed again, hearing his voice in her head say that to her. The afternoon lull allowed her a little time to remember watching Rory's sexy dream about her. She closed her eyes and thought about the way he had spoken and imagined touching her. Her breathing became just a little faster as she said to herself, "Oh please let it happen soon…for real. I miss him so much."

Suddenly she heard the low, honey voice sing "Are you lonesome tonight". She excitedly grabbed her phone.

An automated recording (Sebastian hadn't mentioned that it was automated) told her that she had been selected to participate in the cultural exchange program. It concluded with information on travel arrangements and what she should bring with her.

Registration for auditioning had included turning in permission slips and releases from her parents and showing that she had a passport. (Thank you, Tia Anita, for planning the trip to Spain last summer to see her boyfriend, even though it was ultimately cancelled when Anita broke up with him.)

"At least I got a passport out of it," Avi said.

She chose the option to replay the message and recorded it to refer to later. She knew her parents would insist on listening to it as well.

All atwitter, she tweeted, "Finally! I got it!"

"Yes," Rory exclaimed when he read that. She had to be talking about getting the modeling job that would bring her close to him. But he'd learned his lesson. He would be as patient as he could until she told him herself.


	13. Signs, clues

And Rory waited. Avi was abrupt and evasive in her communications with him but this time he took it as a good sign that she was trying to keep him from going crazy again, if he knew that her being there was imminent.

She told him that her tweet referred to a raise at work. He knew that wasn't true, but understood what she was doing and smiled at her amateurish attempt at subterfuge.

In the meantime he bought her favorite foods and spruced up the house, just in case she could visit his family, and did odd jobs around the neighborhood to earn money for a room for him...or them...for whatever time he could be with her.

"She's comin'," he constantly said to himself with happy anticipation, as he continued his whirlwind of activity.

In Lima, Avi was even busier-packing, shopping and rehearsing with Sebastian and the assistant director, Drake Dawes.

"When will we meet Ms. Grayson," she asked, naming the director whose inclusion in the program had convinced her and her parents of its legitimacy.

Dawes explained that Ms. Grayson was no longer with the project and hinted that, reputable or not, she couldn't direct a group of young people with her drinking problem, not known to the general public.

He added that the new director was working with the kids in New York and that they'd all meet there for the flight overseas.

Avi shrugged. She knew she should be concerned about the change in director and that her family definitely would be, but this was getting her to Ireland and Rory. Like Sebastian had said, she was desperate. So she decided to keep that piece of information to herself.

She also decided this time not to tell Craig what she was doing. She'd chastised him by email since he was still at hockey camp. "I can't believe you told Rory my plans. He nearly went nuts after that expecting me. I hope a puck knocks out a couple of your teeth...not to cause pain or permanent injury...just enough damage to make you a little less appealing to the rink bunnies," she wrote.

When Craig responded to apologize and ask about her tweet that she'd finally gotten it(?) he got the same story Rory did about the raise at work.

Her flight was Sunday so Saturday she decided to go with Santana and Maria for the final O-mazing Race search.

The competition was down to them and one other group. Al Motta saw the contestants off from the park. Santana instinctively walked between him and Maria and kept Avi behind them and, with her death glare, dared the entrepreneur to touch either of them.

The clue was, "Snake your way to your final destination and snake your way through Motta's Mazes, Lima's premiere spot for family entertainment."

Avi rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, that's so obvious," said the youngest person in the car and, conversely, the most recent student of Ohio history. "It's the Great Serpent Mound."

Maria, a transport from another state, looked quizzical. Sugar asked, "Serpent mount? Is there a place to ride a snake? That's ridic cool," she added enthusiastically.

Santana shook her head slightly but didn't make a cutting remark to Sugar. She'd begun to find her mildly amusing in the last few weeks. She entered Fort Ancient into the GPS and began the final leg of the contest, in which she'd gained some patience and, through adversity, such as all of the mishaps on the road last week, a stronger relationship with Maria.

Santana looked in the rearview mirror at Avi in the backseat. She was so excited about leaving tomorrow. Santana knew it was mostly because of Rory but she was glad that the rehearsals had brought back Avi's enthusiasm for the theater, as well.

She recognized that her sister had a sense of contentment with herself that she lacked, which was the reason Santana had such a need for fame. Avi's near hysteria to be with Rory was so uncharacteristic. Santana hoped it wouldn't make her little sister reckless.

The girls arrived at the Great Serpent Mound, constructed by some of the earliest dwellers in the Ohio Valley. They walked the quarter-mile winding path, that followed the contours of the grass-covered mound. They concentrated their search on the coiled tail and head.

Again Sugar found the prize, this time on the backside of the mound around the snake's open mouth. The monitors came out from the wwoods behind her.

They congratulated the girls and said that they had achieved their goal before the other group. So Team Su-Ri-Na, with a little help from Avi, won the O-mazing Race.

Santana was thrilled that she'd never have to wear that cheesy t-shirt again. Maria was gratified that she'd done something for the FOO tree, which she had loved ever since moving to Ohio. Sugar was excited about the award ceremony, where she would get applause. Avi enjoyed the day in the outdoors and the first time in a week that she'd had to think about Rory.

She sent him a pic of the winning team and told him in a text, "I'll be home about 9 my time. That's 2 am your time. Is that too late to...talk it over?"

Rory grinned and responded, "If you mean in bed, it's never too late. I'll be waiting for you, you flawless flirt."

* * *

_**Personal request: could someone read Wrong in All the Right Ways? It's the only one of my stories that hasn't had a hit this month and I love it. I cried and laughed while writing it. Hopefully the reader would too**_


	14. Teasing

Avi drove home from Fort Ancient, pushing the speed limit as much as she dared. Sugar chatted animatedly, being the person most excited about the O-mazing Race win because it would please her daddy and she just liked being on a winning team. Santana and Maria cuddled quietly in the backseat.

"I see Rory tonight on the computer and in two days, I see him in person," Avi said to herself, her excitement mounting.

In Ireland Rory had finished helping his neighbor with indoor painting then gone home to take a nap so he could be fresh and alert when he talked to Avi later. He took the precaution of sleeping in a half-reclining position so he wouldn't become too active in his dreams. He slept with a pleasant smile, as he proudly introduced Avi to his extended family and friends and walked hand-in-hand with her to his favorite local spots.

Avi got home in time to have a last dinner with her parents then ran upstairs for her skype preparations. She applied just a little make-up and slipped into the light blue gown again. She'd banished her theme sheets to the back of the linen closet so she didn't have to spend time or worry on the bed. She knew it looked plush and sensuous.

Rory awoke to his alarm about 20 minutes before the scheduled time, showered and brushed his teeth and put on a blue t-shirt to bring out his eyes.

They smiled brightly when they saw each other.

"You look like you've been spending time outdoors," Avi said. "I've never seen you with a tan. What have you been doing this week?"

"Yeah, I've been workin' outside with some neighbors," he confirmed.

"Is only your face tanned," she asked teasingly.

He grinned, "No".

"I don't believe you," she taunted him with a tempting smile. "I bet your chest is chalky white."

He returned the smile. "Not as much as it was last week," he said.

"Prove it," Avi challenged him, mischievously.

He pulled the shirt over his head to reveal his sun-kissed torso.

She beamed. "I'm impressed," she said. "I've missed seeing you," she added, stretching out and laying her head on her arm.

Rory absorbed the sight. "I miss everything," he said wistfully, "not just seeing you but being with you and watching you with other people. I miss the Avi experience."

She dropped her eyes and sighed. "I'll be with him in less than 48 hours but I can't tell him yet. I don't have enough information and I don't want him to get crazy. And I don't think I can resist telling him if I'm looking at him" she said to herself.

She said to Rory, "Maybe I should go now. I'm pretty tired."

He was crest-fallen. "No, don't go yet. If you're sleepy, let me watch you this time. Turn off all of your lights, but that little lamp in the corner. Then lie back down and go to sleep."

He'd only been in her room a couple of times, months ago, and Avi was delighted that he'd remembered a detail, like a lamp in the corner. She got up and turned off the overhead light and tapped the metal on the touch lamp.

Rory's eyes followed her every move. She had an idea on the way back to the bed. "Why don't you read something to me from one of your notebooks," she suggested.

He hesitated. Lately what he'd written about Avi was more anatomical or procedural than romantic. But there was one… "Alright," he said, rolling to the other side of the bed to get the notebook. "Close your eyes," he instructed her.

Avi's instincts for captivating Rory came to fore, as she lay on her side and gave him a last sultry look before slowly closing her eyes.

He stared at her for a few moments then began reading. "Avelina is so beautiful," he said. "Her skin is like silk under my hand and the color….it should have its own name….Luminous Avi, or something, because nothing else matches it. I could lie with her on a bed of fallen leaves and take each leaf and lay it on her and never find one with a hint of that gorgeous tone. So I'll take them off of her."

He glanced at Avi and saw that she still had her eyes closed but was squirming. He smiled to himself, as he realized she wasn't going to sleep.

"I lightly blow them away from her legs and move up slowly. I take another breath and blow them off of her flat stomach. Her clothes are gone."

He heard a tiny sigh from Avi. "Look at me, Avelina," he said softly.

With her heavy lids and thick eyelashes, it was as if it took physical effort for Avi to open her eyes. Rory saw that sparkling darkness, in which he could become lost and never want to be found.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he said to her.

"Rory," she said breathily, "I can't think right now".

He moistened his lips as he looked at her. "Then don't try; just feel," he said. "Do you want me to read more?"

She nodded. He returned his eyes to the page.

"The leaves shape themselves around her fantastic body. They crackle as I move closer to her…"

Avi's excited utterances had gotten a little louder. Suddenly her mother called from the other room, "Avi, are you alright?"

"Yes, Mama," she answered, struggling for a normal tone of voice. "I just have a leg cramp."

Rory snickered at that.

She looked at him on the screen. "They heard me," she said in a tight voice.

"Do you want me to stop," he asked with reluctance.

"No," she said meekly.

His eyes bore into hers with intensity. "That's my girl. We'll just be quiet. No one needs to hear but me. And I need to hear you, Avelina. I need to know I can make you happy. Take my hand," he requested, holding it out as though Avi could grasp it. She touched the screen with her own. "Guide me," he said in the deep, throaty voice that she loved.

She looked at him with something close to awe. "Which one of us is supposed to be the virgin, anyway," she said to herself.

She closed her eyes and let his words wash over her and through her.

He leaned closer to the screen. "Ahh the way you look right now, Avelina. I've never seen anything like it. Shh," he reminded her.

She was writhing on the bed, still trying to be quiet. Rory could only see her from the neck up.

"You sound like music," he said, as her breathing increased. "You're a beautiful symphony, just about to reach the best part…I love you," he added, seeing her bite down on her blanket to keep from screaming.

"Wow," she said to herself, briefly burying her face in the pillow. "I've never felt anything like that."

She looked at him through the strands of hair across her face. She pushed them out of the way. Her hand moved over her arms, neck and face, recapturing some of the sensations.

"You did that with just your voice," she said in amazement.

Rory had a look of wonder on his face. "I didn't do it alone," he said. "But as many times as I've imagined it, I had to develop some skill. I live for the day when I can use more than my voice."

He brought out the naughty child in Avi…partly because she knew that he thought it was cute and partly because she was so comfortable and happy with him. That child didn't care so much about Rory's becoming overly-excited because he was given half-information. After all, look what he'd just done to her.

With an impish grin she asked, "You live for that day? Is day after tomorrow soon enough? Good ni-ight."

She turned off the monitor just as she saw the look of shock on his face.

"What did she say," Rory asked himself out loud. She was gone from his computer screen, all of the little squares of her from his screen saver taunting him.

He tried calling her and sending text messages. At one point he got her voice mail and he ordered her, "Avelina Luz Lopez, answer me right now."

Unlike the night last week before they reconciled, Rory's repeated attempts to reach her tickled her. The almost constant sound of his singing on her ringtone acted as a lullaby. After just a couple of minutes to enjoy teasing him, she gave into her exhaustion from the week's frenzy and her physical satisfaction, and actually did go to sleep, wearing a mischievous, contented smile.


	15. Excited

"I'll kill her," Rory said repeatedly, as he finally gave up on reaching Avi, who was sleeping like a spoiled, happy baby. "I'll squeeze her and kiss her to death," he added, not able to contain his excitement or smile, despite the exasperation.

Since she wasn't giving any information, he tried to find someone who would. Craig was clueless and perturbed that Avi hadn't shared her plans with him.

He next called Angela because she was Avi's oldest friend and the most tolerant of his lapses from reason.

Actually Ang had a huge crush on Rory, ever since her party, which she hadn't even realized was on St. Patrick's Day, when he'd sung Danny Boy to a group of girls. But it had felt as though he was singing only to her. As much as she loved Avi and knew that she and Rory were crazy about each other, she couldn't help how she felt.

Her desolation when he'd left from Chicago to return to Ireland had been almost as profound as Avi's, because she hadn't known anything about it and wasn't able to say good-bye. She also had Rory's Dublin speech at the ready on her phone but, unlike Avi, who was so public with her pride in Rory and pain in his absence, Ang had to be very reserved about it.

And just when she thought she might be getting over him, she'd had a call from him last week. She'd melted at the sound of his voice, even though he only called to ask where Avi was.

Now he was calling her again? She looked with excitement at his yearbook photo that she used to identify him on her phone.

"Hi, Rory," she said cheerfully (but hopefully detached-sounding) when she answered. "How are you?"

"Honestly, Ang, at the moment I'm at my wit's end," he responded.

She could hear the frustration in his voice. "How could Avi keep doing this to him? He deserved better."

"What's she done now," she asked, as if they shared a private joke.

"She said something about seeing me day after tomorrow and hung up, right after…Do you know what she's talking about?"

Ang had hated having to tell him last week that she didn't know where Avi was and vowed she wouldn't disappoint him like that again.

"She tried out for a cultural exchange program called Theater Kids International and she's leaving tomorrow morning," Ang reported.

"Theater Kids International…never heard of it," Rory said.

Ang closed her eyes and sighed as she held her phone. "I could listen to him talk forever," she thought wistfully. As if primping for him, she moved to her mirror. Her cropped dark brown hair framed her strong-planed face, with its café-au-lait complexion, perfectly. She knew she was pretty but what good did it do? She mentally kicked herself yet again for not seeing how great Rory was before Avi even came to school. She could have had him for months before then. "Idiot," she said to herself for the hundredth time.

"Ang?" Rory's voice pulled her out of her brooding.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Well she's been excited about it for days," Ang said, "because it's touring in Ireland and Scotland so she gets to see you" ('and I don't,' she added to herself).

"Why didn't she tell me," he asked, a happy lilt added to the frustration in his question.

"She said she didn't want you to get overly excited again," Ang explained. "But if she told you that much then hung up, I guess she decided that your being worked up wasn't that important."

Rory chuckled. "She's so freakin' cute," he said, as if expecting her best friend to agree with him.

Ang didn't though. Instead she asked, "Rory, are you coming back?"

He was anxious to get off of the phone now. "I don't know. I haven't thought about it in a while. But it's sweet of you to ask. I appreciate your tellin' me what's goin' on with that girl. Could you let me know if you hear anything else?"

"Sure," she said, her heart breaking again.

"Thanks so much. 'Bye, Ang," he said, and disconnected from her.

"Idiot," Ang cried again, throwing her phone across the room.

Rory googled the program name that Ang gave him but couldn't find anything on it. This wasn't his area of expertise though. He sent a text message to Craig with that information. If there was anything to be known about the group or its origins, Craig would find it.

He sent a text to Avi saying, "Tell me about Theater Kids International".

Then with some relief and a lot of anticipation, he fell back in bed to sleep a few more hours. Since he couldn't get the thought of Avi from the skype meeting out of his mind though, it turned out to be the most energetic, yet most enjoyable sleep he could remember.


	16. Tense

Avi rose early to meet Sebastian and Dawes for the flight to New York. She was humming. She was as happy as she'd ever been.

She giggled as she read the text messages and emails from Rory, until she got to the last one, "Tell me about Theater Kids International."

She responded, "Who told you?"

She got an immediate answer, "Someone who cares more about my sanity than you do," he wrote, tongue-in-cheek.

She thought quickly about who knew and who he'd be most likely to call for information. She sighed. "Never mind—I know," she said in a text.

Angela Abner had been her best friend most of her life. Every summer until this one they'd been inseparable. They couldn't hide anything from each other. Avi had been so starry-eyed over Rory, though, that it had taken longer than it should have before she realized that Ang liked him too. She didn't talk to her about it though. Ang would be embarrassed and it's not like Avi would be willing to share him with her.

She sent her an email, "Hey, girl. I'm leaving soon. Keep me updated on what goes on here. You've always been and will always be my best source for intel and best friend."

"It's not on the internet. How did you find out about it," Rory's next message read.

"Sebastian and I saw a flyer for it and auditioned. That girl Harmony from Nationals auditioned too. And the original program director was Margot Grayson," Avi said, laying out the bona fides for TKI.

He didn't want to browbeat her. This was enough to give Craig.

"Where will you be going first," he asked instead.

"Don't get crazy on me, Rory," Avi said to herself, as she was forced to write, "I don't know yet. I'll tell you as soon as I do."

"Please do," he responded, determined to remain calm. "I want to be there. I love you."

He checked Harmony's Facebook page. She mentioned that she was glad that she hadn't gotten the slot with TKI because she didn't think it was "all it was cracked up to be".

He frowned when he read that. He called his drama teacher from his local school. She told him the gossip in theater circles was that Margot Grayson had a drinking problem and other expensive habits and that she was willing to do almost anything for money.

Increasingly worried, Rory sent everything he'd learned to Craig. "I know you're on the ice most of the day," he said, "but can you look into this? I'm not sure what Avi's gotten into and I don't trust the guy who got her into it."

After a few hours he received a text from Avi with details of her arrival at Cork Airport.

He left immediately. Craig called en route. "I found some information on the director. She's checked into rehab and told someone there that she never thought she'd sink so low as her last project."

"Was her last project TKI, Craig," Rory asked.

"It's not clear," Craig answered. "I have to go back for an exhibition. I'll look up more when I can. Take care of her, brother."

Rory arrived early. He called Brian and told him of his concerns. "I might need you," he said.

"Just call if you do," Brian assured him.

Rory called Mr. Schu. He said that he was suspicious of Sebastian's involvement in what was beginning to look like a lure for Avi.

Schu told him that he'd dispatch all of glee club to see what everyone could learn.

Now Rory waited…and paced…and interrogated airline personnel about the status of Avi's flight…and worried.

He got a call from Puck. "What the hell's goin' on with Avi," he demanded.

"I don't know yet," Rory said, feeling a little intimidated by Puck's forcefulness. "It might be more than I can handle," he confessed to the older boy.

"I've seen you in action, Flanagan," Puck said. "You can take it. When you see Avi, you'll want to be strong for her. And she's no shrinking violet. You can handle it together. Just call me as soon as you've figured it out," he insisted.

Craig sent an update that TKI's registration, which was only about a month old, was through dummy corporations and it was going to take a while to unravel the knot of them.

Blaine called and said that Sebastian had told some Warblers that he was going to Europe with a favorite relative but hadn't mentioned a cultural exchange program.

Rory hadn't wanted to alarm Avi but now he needed to know that she was okay. "How's it going," he texted her.

"Pleasee b therrre," she wrote. The typos indicated possible nervousness or shaking.

The clerk at the gate told him the flight was on time to arrive in half an hour.

"I'm here," he wrote.

"Doesn't look good," Craig wrote quickly about ten minutes before arrival. "Some of these names are familiar."

Rory stood so that anyone from Avi's plane was going to have to walk around him.

She ran into his arms.

"What's wrong," he asked, feeling her trembling.

"Just hold me," she begged.

He clutched her tightly, his head bent a little over her petite frame.

"You've already made a new friend, Avi?"

Avi cringed at the sound.

"That's quick work, even for a Lima Heights girl," said another male voice.

Rory looked up and saw Sebastian and another man standing with him, who bore some resemblance to Sebastian.

Avi still had her face buried in his chest.

Rory's fingers curled into an automatic fist. The last time he'd seen that face, he'd maimed it. He wanted to do so again—Ralston!

* * *

_**a/n The big reveal was actually foreshadowed throughout much of this story. I can be pretty subtle though so I'll point out specific instances that might have been overlooked:**_

_***Craig's comment to Rory that Avi didn't want to go to New York because all of the V-boys were out on bail  
*Avi's shopping trip with Sebastian where he told her she was desperate and could fall for a scam then he was the one who "discovered" the flyer for TKI and made the comment (sic) What self-respecting theater kid could pass up such a chance  
*The audition where Sebastian sent a text saying at least with her singing, it wouldn't look like the selection was fixed  
*Rory's obsessing over Reg when he went through his crazy-jealous period  
*Avi's conversation with the assistant DA, in which she learned that the judge granted leeway to all but the Big Three in the network  
*Craig's computer skills coming into play again, alluding to the first time they were used  
*Puck's reminder to Rory of their first encouter with Ralston when he had seen him in action (I'll keep this on the list but it wasn't meant to be subtle)**_


	17. Show Your Strength

"How do you do," Ralston said, holding out his hand, "I'm…(So he's using his real name now, Rory noted)."

He shook the extended hand. "Rory Flanagan," he said flatly.

"Rory," Ralston (Rory would always think of him as Ralston) said nauseatingly, this is my cousin Se…"

"I know Sebastian," Rory said, cradling Avi closer, as he realized the breadth of the betrayal against her.

"Really," Ralston said in what he thought was a gracious attitude, "and how do you know Little Avi?" Rory's fist clenched again.

Sebastian interjected, "Flanagan here was an exchange student at McKinley and a member of New Directions. His duet with Avi helped them win Nationals."

Ralston pointed at Rory. "Of course, that's where I've seen you. You, my young friend, should always wear a tux," Ralston continued, still believing himself to be charming, when he was actually increasing his chances of another broken jaw with every word he spoke.

"Well, we'll leave the two of you alone for a moment. Don't keep us waiting, Avi," he said in that faux-gracious tone.

When they walked away Rory looked in Avi's eyes and touched her face worriedly as he asked, "Did they hurt you?"

"No, they didn't touch me. It's just…Sebastian. I though he really wanted to be my friend. It's the same thing that got me before-my sense that I'm so great that some jerk who'd been terrible to all of my friends would treat me differently."

He held her close. "You are that great, Avelina. Some people just don't deserve it."

"Rory, did you see the girls? They're so young and their partners…"

He looked in the direction Avi indicated. There were five pretty girls, the oldest of whom might have been 15, standing with men about Ralston's age—-V-boys, Rory guessed, the most fowl urban scum.

Rory thought about what Puck had said—that he'd want to be strong for Avi. He felt a surge of resolve build in him. He would rise to this challenge.

"Alright," he told Avi, "go take care of your paperwork and stay away from Reg and Sebastian. Try to keep the girls with you and away from…them. I'll meet you on the other side of the security check."

"I'm so sorry, Rory," she said tearfully.

He kissed her tenderly. "You're here. We'll take care of everything else so we can concentrate on that." He rubbed her arms and urged her, "Come on, Avelina, you can handle anything. And those girls need you. Show your strength."

Avi straightened her posture. Rory saw her change. From trembling and sniffling, her expression became determined and her eyes flashed with anger, as she focused on the deception, not only of herself, but the younger girls especially. She took Rory's face in her hands for a quick kiss, then practically stalked into the midst of the partners to segregate them.

Rory kept pace with them on his side of the security line, not losing sight of Avi. He quickly called Brian and outlined the situation, thankful that his brother was a law student.

They agreed on the first steps to be taken. Brian was already in his car and headed to Cork by the end of their conversation.

Avi had the girls with her at the end of the security line, all anxious to meet the cute native with whom they'd seen her speaking.

Rory turned on his considerable charm and had all of them accompany him and Avi out to the van to take them to the hotel. He'd noticed the men grouped together, muttering angrily, so wasn't surprised when Reg approached him.

"It's time for you to leave," Reg said. "We have important work to do and your presence is a distraction."

Rory glared at the older man, who was an inch or so shorter than he. "I know who you are. And whatever leeway your family got for you, I'm sure it doesn't include travelling overseas with your victim. In my phone right now are the numbers for the U.S. embassy and Interpol. So you and your friends will just have to do your 'important work' around my presence."

Reg dropped his eyes and said deflated, "Well, just don't make us wait for you," and got in the front passenger seat.

Rory and Avi held hands in the very back of the van and engaged the girls in conversation. Knowing the glee club members would pool their information, Rory sent a simple message to Puck, "Ralston and Sebastian are cousins."

He got a text in response, "Call ASAP. Santana's freakin".

At the hotel Rory was glad to see a young woman, probably a college student, as the night clerk. Maybe she'd seen a Flanagan Brothers event. "Remember I love you," he whispered to Avi, before he went to flirt with the girl at the desk.

Avi watched him smile at the girl and stretch his hand a little on the countertop, as if inviting her to take it. She laughed and tossed her head. Avi heard Rory's low laughter. She knew what he was doing…but when in Hell had he become so good at it?"

He returned with key cards for adjoining rooms for him and one for Avi and the girls.

"I asked her to put the others as far from us as possible," he said.

"Did you have to make a date to get it," she asked pouting.

Rory grinned. He'd missed that pout. He wanted to kiss it so badly. "Your room is a suite so the girls should be happy with all of the space. Mine is sort of a valet room. There's a bed, that's all. If I'd been better at disarmin' her, I'd have a suite too."

"Maybe she expected the six of us to stay in the valet room and you have the suite to stretch out and she'd come join you later," Avi continued her theme as they rolled the luggage to their rooms.

Away from the clerk Rory put his arm around Avi and kissed the side of her head. "I thought I was the one with the random jealousy," he said. "But if she should come lookin' for me, she'll be disappointed. I don't want to stretch out with anyone but you. And it doesn't look like we're goin' to be able to do that right now," he said, as he opened the door to the suite.

The girls hurried in to claim their space. Avi raised herself on tiptoe and threw her arms around Rory's neck.

He responded by clasping her tightly. "Ahh, I can't believe I can hold you," he said breathily, kissing her along her face and neck, "and feel you. You smell so good…And we have an audience," he added, catching sight of the girls he'd momentarily forgotten.

Avi said in a worried half-whisper, "All they talked about on the plane were their gorgeous partners."

Behind them a couple of the girls squealed in delight, as they received text messages from the men to whom they'd been assigned.

Rory watched Avi, as she appeared to be wrestling with something then made a decision. "I have to tell them."

"Do you need me to stay with you," Rory asked.

She shook her head. "I think it's better as girl talk."

"Alright," Rory said, I'm as close as your phone…and a fast runner," he concluded with a wink.

Avi asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Se-bastard."

She grabbed his arm. "Rory, please be careful. I don't want Reg to recognize you."

"What?"

She rubbed the back of her neck and looked away for a second, then spoke even more quietly. "Just because I haven't mentioned it doesn't mean I wasn't aware that the break-in at his place was the same weekend that I told you about him. And I didn't see Santana until Sunday afternoon."

Rory tried to maintain a blank expression. "That kind of thing is right up Puck's alley and the computer part is rigjust like Craig," Avi said, looking at him with real concern.

He touched his forehead to hers. "I swear to you, Avelina. That man has never heard my voice or seen my face until tonight." He gave her a last quick kiss then headed down the corridor.

Avi's eyes followed him, not able to shake the worry, and then she closed the door and gathered the girls around her.


	18. Knowing

The Spanish ranting from Santana was so loud that Puck could barely hear Rory.

"I said Avi knows it was us that got Ralston," Rory repeated a little louder.

He was in the lobby of the hotel—probably not the best choice for venue, as the desk clerk kept looking and smiling at him, but he was waiting for someone.

Puck asked for details on what Rory had done since seeing Ralston. He was impressed with Rory's bluff to Reg that he had the numbers for the embassy and international police and Rory's subsequent loading of those numbers when he had time to find them.

"Way to use your gifts, man," he said when Rory told him how he had gotten the adjacent rooms for him and the girls away from the v-boys.

"Puck, did you hear me," Rory said impatiently. "She knows it was us."

"She thinks it was us," Puck clarified. "She's too smart not to have figured it out but if you didn't confirm it, she doesn't know."

Rory lowered his phone in exasperation. How could Puck be so calm about that? He returned the phone to his ear. "Too many people know," he said worriedly. "Who all did you tell in glee club anyway?"

"I didn't tell anybody."

Rory was confused. "But you said the guys knew about me breaking his jaw."

Puck laughed on the other end. "Dude, I wouldn't tell anybody that. I just told you I did so you'd have a little strut before your number at Nationals."

Rory was surprised. "So nobody knows?"

"No," Puck said. "Now tell me what's goin' on there…Maria, could you keep her quiet?"

Rory explained that his brother who was on his way to help him had said the only violation so far was Ralston's contact with Avi. The girls all had the proper permission and releases for travel and probably none of the men had been associated with them before.

"I can understand that Mr. and Mrs. Lopez want to bring Avi back and have Ralston arrested now but Brian thinks there's a good chance to get the whole group."

Puck relayed that information to Santana, resulting in a fresh bi-lingual tirade. Rory heard Maria's calming voice and Santana becoming quieter. Puck said, "Okay, she said she'd talk to their folks. Just stay in touch. Tell Avi we love her. You get to keep her for now."

Rory couldn't help but smiling and feeling a surge throughout his body at that thought.

The desk clerk, a cute blonde, returned what she thought was a smile for her.

He gave her a toned-down grin then sat down out of range of her vision. Sebastian finally arrived.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Sebastian said, "but when a hot guy tells me to meet him, I want to look my best".

Rory glowered at him. "How could you do that to Avi?"

Sebastian was affronted. "How could she lie about my cousin like that, just because he didn't pick her for a part?"

Rory stared in disbelief. "Your family really thinks it was a lie? That she was able to fool the New York police and prosecutors and psychologists? How do you account for the computer files?"

"She probably screwed some hacker," Sebastian came to his logical conclusion.

The fist clenched again but Rory managed to stay seated to prevent himself from completing the action. Brian had told him they should try to make Sebastian an ally.

"You spent all that time with her. What did she ever do except be friendly and fun? Did she ever lie," Rory challenged him.

Sebastian sneered. Rory saw that he couldn't dissuade him yet.

"What does he want with her," Rory asked resignedly.

"He wants to talk to her. He couldn't do it in the states because of the restraining order so he thought if he could get her somewhere out of the country that he could persuade her to drop the charges against him and clear his name."

"And he thinks he's worldly and sophisticated," Rory said to himself, stunned at Sebastian's naiveté where his cousin was concerned.

"You can't be serious," he said. "If that's all he wanted, why bring the other girls…and those men?"

Sebastian didn't answer. Rory could see he was thinking. "Do you know if he even made plans for them to get back home? Did he even plan to return home himself? Maybe he's decided he wants to stay in Europe, rather than face a trial and prison. How much has he told you?"

Still Sebastian didn't answer…just sat there contemplating."

Rory felt he'd done all he could. He walked out of the lobby, headed to the elevators. The desk clerk's face fell as he left.

He called Avi. "How was your talk with the girls?"

She sounded as though she'd been crying. "It went well. They hate what happened to me and are furious that their partners had the same thing in mind for them. They're young theater kids. They're mostly upset that there's no program for them to perform. We made a ceremony of blocking the creep's numbers on their phones so they can't contact them. We all had a good cry and now they just want to go home."

"We'll figure that out when Brian gets her," Rory said. "Avelina," he said with mounting excitement, "does that mean you don't have to stay and watch them?"

She took a moment to answer. "Yeah," she said with her breath quickening as she realized what Rory was thinking. "That's what that means."

"I'll be right there!"


	19. There was a Bed

Rory opened the door of his small room and saw Avelina standing there. He enfolded her in his arms.

It was a valet room, as Rory had said. There was a bed, that's all. They naturally fell onto it, kissing as Avi had only dreamed.

Rory slid to the top of the bed. He held out his hand. "Avi, baby, c'mere," he said in his deep, inviting voice.

She looked up at him in surprise as she recognized what he said and how he said it. She moved to lie next to him. "I'm here, Rory."

He relived his dream. "Mmmm, you're here and you're mine. Aww I want you so bad."

Avi was light-headed. The virtual seduction she'd witnessed was occurring for real-but not now…

"You're very beautiful," Rory said, running his hand down the front of her body, "I love you."

She sat up while she still could. "I love you, Rory. And I want you too. But the girls are still awake. I told them I'd only be gone a few minutes."

"He groaned in defeat. "Yeah, Brian will be here soon too. I'm just…you can't imagine how much I've thought about this."

Avi sighed. "Yes I can. Because I know how many times I have."

Rory's phone rang. "Speak of the devil, he said, assuming it was Brian. He looked at the name on the screen. "No…worse," he said. "What?"

"Am I interrupting anything," asked Sebastian.

Rory grunted in irritation. "Yeah, you are. What is it?"

Sebastian spoke hesitantly. "I talked to Reg. What he said doesn't make as much sense as what you said. I've been thinking about things he told me when I was younger about girls only being good the first few times…I'm not saying he made me gay but… tell Avi I'm sorry."

Rory had the phone between him and Avi—easy since she was cuddled against his back. She wrinkled her nose at the apology.

"Sebastian, if you want to make up for this, there's something you might be able to do. I'll get back to you later," Rory said.

He called Brian. "How soon will you be here? Alright, there's a coffee shop across the street from the hotel. I'll meet you there in half an hour."

Rory turned back to Avi. "Are you coming back later, when the girls are asleep?"

She shook her head. "Why," he asked, speaking carefully to control his disappointment.

She hunched her shoulders and rested her head on the left one. "I just think we need to be above any judgment right now," she said. "This is probably going to court in some way and it wouldn't be good if someone could say I left the girls to spend the night with my boyfriend."

"But we love each other," he argued.

"They don't know that," she pointed out, "and they're confused right now. I don't want to make it worse."

She stood to leave. "Tell Brian I said 'hello'".

"Avi," Rory said sharply, just before she opened the door connecting that room to the suite.

His tone stopped her. His stare was intense as he walked to her slowly and determinedly. "Before this is over, I will have you."

Avi looked up at him with unfamiliar feelings. This wasn't her beautiful boy; this was a hungry man. She was drawn to him and overwhelmed by him. "Yes, Rory, and I'll have you."

She placed a cool, soothing hand on the side of his face. "Settle down," she said, as she rubbed her cheek on his. "Good night, my hot hothead".

He let out a small laugh then dropped his eyes sheepishly. "I'm not a hothead," he mumbled.

"All evidence to the contrary," Avi said ironically.

Rory lifted the corners of his mouth in an almost grin. He placed softer arms around her and laid his chin on her head. "Good night, you tempting trouble-maker," he said quietly.

"I'm not a trouble-maker," she protested pertly.

Rory's grin grew bigger, as he looked around him, "…all evidence to the contrary".

They smiled at each other—one last kiss, a simultaneous "I love you" and Avi returned to the girls. Rory ran out of his room and called Sebastian. He sprinted down the stairwell and out a side exit, avoiding the desk clerk and burning off the last of his Avi Fever.


	20. What Does He Want

Rory, Brian and Sebastian—three handsome young men sitting in the coffee shop late at night—weren't talking about cars or sports or other topics usually associated with young men. They were discussing how to thwart the pedophiles.

Brian asked a lot of questions; Rory had only one—"What does he want with Avi?"

Brian asked Sebastian, "Is there anything to TKI, at least a couple of planned performances?" He studied the flyer that Sebastian had brought with him.

Sebastian rubbed his hand across his forehead. "I thought that part of it was real. I thought Reg wanted to talk to Avi and he knew she was a great performer and she could lead a young theater group. We could lead a young theater group. I didn't know about…those men."

"Then what does he want with Avi," Rory asked for the third or fourth time.

Brian continued, "What do you know about the men now?"

Rory sat back to slouch in his chair in aggravation.

Sebastian answered, "I heard them talking to Reg. They said something about expecting their money's worth."

"So they paid to bring the girls here," Brian surmised.

Sebastian shrugged, having been through his own personal crisis that night, as he realized the depths to which his cousin had sunk. He drained the last of his coffee cup.

Brian laid a sympathetic hand over Sebastian's. "Would you like some more coffee? Not you, Rory, you're keyed up enough."

Rory practically shouted, "Just tell me," he said, sitting up and addressing himself to Sebastian, "what does your low-life cousin want with Avi? I saw him with her. He doesn't care about her. Why did he bring her here?"

Sebastian instinctively leaned away from Rory and thanked Brian for the fresh cup.

"Maybe the same thing," Sebastian said reluctantly.

"What," Rory said sharply.

Brian nodded with understanding.

Sebastian continued, "Maybe there was a sixth man that paid for her."

"But he targeted Avi," Rory said carefully.

Sebastian nodded.

"So her choice wasn't random, like the other girls."

Again Sebastian nodded.

"Somebody wanted her…not just anyone…he wanted Avi."

"Rory…" Brian began, attempting to forestall his brother's musings.

"Somebody wanted her…here," Rory continued his revelation in a dangerously controlled voice.

Brian sighed in resignation. Rory was nearing his conclusion. He couldn't be stopped now.

Rory continued staring at Sebastian, as if he were the instigator of the scheme. "If somebody wanted her here, then it's probably somebody from here—Ireland, Scotland or England," he said, angrily pointing to the locations on the flyer.

Rory's concentration on him and logic exercise puzzled Sebastian. Brian, on the other hand, watched his brother intently, as though prepared to grab him if Rory should pounce.

Rory did jump up from his chair and stalk out of the café to clear his head with deep breaths of the cool night air.

What," Sebastian asked.

Brian looked at the younger man. "You didn't read the online file, did you?"

"No," Sebastian admitted. "I didn't think it was true."

Brian nodded again. "Rory thinks he knows who would have wanted Avi."

Who," asked Sebastian, as Rory re-entered the shop, determined to stay in check so he wouldn't miss any of the discussion.

He slunk back down in his chair, "Tim—the English Chunnel," he said with real hatred in his voice.

Sebastian still looked confused.

"I'll send you the link," Brian offered.

Now that Rory had his answer and could fume without interrupting, the elder Flanagan reached a decision. "I'll talk to the men in the morning, tell them they need to send the girls back or I'll go to the police."

Sebastian was intrigued. "Are you going to wear a wire?"

Brian grinned, "no…nothing illegal or unauthorized. That was the problem with the action against Ralston before." He pointedly avoided looking at Rory.

Rory, however, was already incensed and the criticism from his brother, with whom he'd never discussed the attack on Ralston, caused him to react in a manner that could have given him away.

Brian was glad that Sebastian's concentration was on him and he didn't notice Rory's lapse.

The law student explained, "I want the paper trail on their payments. That's information we can turn over to the police…after the girls are home".

Sebastian looked impressed.

Rory looked at Brian with disappointment. "Avelina's going home tomorrow?"

Brian rolled his eyes with affectionate tolerance. "No, we haven't seen the Chunnel so I can't threaten him. And we might be able to use Avi to incriminate him. He'll be expecting his money's worth soon."

"No," shouted Rory.

"That's her choice, not yours," Brian said. "And from what I've heard about her every day for the last four months, she'd want to help and she'd want revenge."

Rory shook his head in frustration. He knew Brian was right.

His brother looked at him with concern. "You're exhausted. Why don't you go to your room and get some sleep. Avi's here for at least a couple of days. We'll figure everything out tomorrow."

Rory nodded and left the café.

Sebastian's eye followed him. "Has he always been like that?"

Brian chuckled. "Actually he was always the most even-tempered of all of us, until he fell in love. He's crazy over one girl and our youngest brother is a pint-sized Lothario. Like they say, he quoted with a wink at Sebastian, "Women: can't live with them…next subject."

Sebastian smiled. Was he getting a vibe from Flanagan's brother—his broad-shouldered, forest-green-eyed brother?"

Brian yawned. "I'm going to get some sleep. Enter your number in my phone. You'll be my connection to the…what did Rory call them…v-boys."

Sebastian entered his number then slowly slid the phone back to Brian, keeping his finger tips on it. The two men exchanged a frank look and Sebastian said, "I'll be looking forward to your call."


	21. Hold On

He didn't even bother to check the time. He'd last noticed it at 1:30am and who knew how long ago that was. But Brian was right about his being exhausted. He trudged into the lobby of the hotel.

"Well, where have you been, Rory," asked the cute desk clerk.

He glanced sleepily in her direction. His bed was drawing him like a magnet but his natural politeness dictated that he respond. He walked over to the counter. "I had a late night meeting."

She dropped her head a little then raised her eyes, a coquettish gesture contrasting the directness of her statement. "I'll be finished here soon. What was your room number again?"

Rory shook his head. "I'm sure I'll be long asleep by then. I appreciate your help earlier. But please don't disturb me in my room."

She refused to believe he wasn't interested. "Alright, I'll let you sleep on it."

He was too tired to say anymore. He could handle it better when he had his mental faculties. He said good night and headed to the elevators.

He hated the idea of Avi having to see that son of a bitch Tim again. He hated having to deal with Sebastian. But he loved Avi being here.

"Avelina," he said dreamily, as he entered his room and turned his head in the direction of the door separating them.

His glance moved to the bed. "Maybe tomorrow," he thought, "maybe the girls will be gone and finally…"

He spent a long time in the shower, alternating the water temperature and pressure to get as many distinct sensations as he could.

Just as he was going to sleep, he heard whimpering in the adjacent room.

"He's hurting me," a voice said, "please make him stop."

Rory realized the whimpering, pleading and increasingly panicked voice were Avi's.

He jumped out of bed and pounded on the connecting door. "Avelina," he shouted. He pounded until the door opened.

He ran in. Avelina's voice, still crying that someone was hurting her and begging someone to stop him, came from his right, where she slept on a fold-out bed against the wall. Rory's bed was on the other side of that wall, which was why he could hear her small sounds so well. Avi was still asleep in her nightmare.

"Avi, Honey," he said soothingly, as he crawled onto the bed with her.

She finally awoke as she heard him and felt his comforting arms. "Oh, Rory," she said with relief, throwing her arms around his neck.

"It's alright, I'm here," he said, remembering conversations with Santana and Craig from months ago-"She knows what happened to her. I've heard her cry at night…It might have been worse than what she said…."

He tightened his grip on her. "You're safe. No one is going to hurt you."

The oldest girl, Gillian, who opened the door at Rory's demand, and the rest of them grouped on the other fold-out couch, watching the scene.

Rory paid no attention to them, as he held and caressed Avi, reveling in the feel of her needing him.

"My Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa," he sang spontaneously.

Avi shook her head against his chest. "Not that…sing something soft and hopeful," she requested sleepily.

Rory thought for a moment then began…

_Hold on to me tight  
__Hold on to me tonight  
__We are stronger here together  
__Than we could ever be alone  
__So hold on to me. Don't you ever let me go_

Avi nestled more comfortably on Rory's bare chest.

He looked at the girls. "You can go back to bed now. Nothing's going to happen with us but I'm not leaving her."

The girls, including Gillian, who had been sleeping on the other fold out couch, dispersed to the two bedrooms.

Rory lay down in the bed, spooning with Avi.

_There's a thousand way  
__For things to fall apart  
__But it's no one's fault  
__No, it's not our fault_

Avi began to breathe softly and steadily, falling into a blissful sleep. Rory continued singing, finding reassurance in the lyrics…

_Maybe all the plans we made  
__Might not work out__  
But I have no doubt  
__Even though it's hard to see  
__I've got faith in us  
__And I believe in you and me_

The girls returned to the room, drawn by the honey-infused bass-baritone.

_So hold on to me tight  
__Hold on, I promise it'll be alright  
_'_Cause it's you and me together  
__And baby all we've got is time  
_The irony of that line didn't escape Rory)  
_So hold on to me  
__Hold on to me tonight_

"You really love her, don't you," Gillian said shyly.

Rory glanced up at the quintet. He grinned. "Yeah," he said, gliding his hand down her outstretched arm, "I do".

Carrie, the second-oldest girl, piped in "Avi said you met in Ohio when you were a foreign-exchange student".

"That's right," Rory answered. "I took one look at her and followed her to her locker. Then I talked to her, and I haven't been the same since."

The girls sighed and looked at Rory, totally smitten.

He gave them a little smile. Why don't you go back to bed now? We all need to be at our best tomorrow."

"Are we going home tomorrow, Rory," Gillian asked.

"We'll start working on it tomorrow," he assured them. "Good night, ladies."

After they left, he snuggled closer to Avi. He was surprised when she said, "I love you, A-Rorable".

"Now I know you were asleep before," he said with minor chastisement.

She nodded. "I woke up when you stopped singing. I'm glad I heard you talking to them. You are still my beautiful boy, aren't you?"

"What do you mean," he asked softly.

Avi turned to face him. "You've been different the last few weeks," she said carefully. "I've been wondering if you'd changed. Maybe all the adoration you've been getting has make you think differently about a lot of things, including what you expect from me," she said with a little catch in her voice.

He stroked her hair and lightly rubbed her cheek with the back of his hand. After what he'd heard earlier, he realized Avi had reason to be more reticent about sex than she might think she was or would have been her natural inclination.

"I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable or made you doubt me," he said. "I love you as much as ever. Yes, I want you more than I want to take my next breath, but you should know from the notebooks that I always have. Ever since I've known you, you've been adored by almost everyone you come in contact with. Has that changed the way you feel about me?"

He lifted her lowered chin so his eyes were looking into hers. "Our time together will be brilliant for both of us. I hope that's tomorrow if the girls go home. But if you don't feel good enough about me to be ready, then I don't deserve you."

She kissed him tentatively. "I don't deserve you. You're the sweetest, hottest, most noble guy I know."

He smiled. "So I'm still a good guy," he asked, using her phrase.

"You're the best guy," she answered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He gave her the last kiss. "Roll over and go to sleep, Luz-lips. You're the best girl," he whispered in her ear.

They slept happily together for the few hours available to them.

_Didn't people always say they were the lucky ones?_


	22. AllEncompassing Expression

"Rory Michael Flanagan, what are you doing here," Avi demanded when she woke to find him lying next to her.

"You called out for me," he murmured into the mass of her hair.

"I did not," she argued, not bothering to move from the comfortable spot, despite her indignation.

"Yeah, you did," he said lazily, giving her a little peck on her cheek.

"When?"

He hesitated for a moment then raised himself on his forearm. "Before I tell you, I want you to tell me honestly, are you alright? You don't have any problems from your 'unconventional introduction' to Tim, do you?"

Avi averted her eyes then got out of the bed. "Where did you hear that and why do you ask?"

Rory watched her lovingly. "So cute," he thought, "even in those baggy yellow pajamas. How could anyone ever hurt her?"

"Santana," he answered, "and that's what brought me in here last night. You were crying that _he_ was hurting you and begging someone to make him stop."

Avi got a granola bar from her roomy all-purpose bag. Rory had his identical bag in his room. Neither one went anywhere without them because of the memories they evoked.

She sat at a little table in the center of the room, delaying thinking about what Rory was saying as long as she could. She looked at him, as she munched her bar.

Rory continued, "Ralston didn't make him stop, did he?"

Avi reluctantly shook her head, lowering her eyes to avoid Rory's insistent stare.

He worked to pull more of the truth from her. "So do you have any problems still because of it," he asked with deep concern.

"I've been seeing a counselor for about a month," she said. "She's been helping me deal with it, especially since you've been gone. She said I had used you to avoid it."

"What about physically," he asked, with even more worry in his voice.

"I'm okay now," she assured him.

"Now," he repeated with a little animus in his tone. But you weren't then. That's why your aunt had to take you to the hospital, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Rory," she said with irritation, putting her elbows on the table and pressing her hands against her temples. "Do you want to see the X-rays?"

He looked at her with compassion separate from the love he had for her. He could also see her as any girl abused by any man. He didn't want to make her live through more of this but there was something else he had to know.

He sat on the edge of the bed and continued his intense gaze. "So you don't have permanent damage? You can still have pretty babies?"

"Not any time soon but, yes. There's no problem with that," she stated.

"And, with me…there's no….danger," he asked with difficulty.

She shook her head emphatically. "No, I'm fine."

He expelled a huge breath and closed his eyes in relief.

She moved to sit on his lap. "I'm not fragile. I can be everything you've ever wanted me to be."

"Oh, Avelina, you already are," he said ardently, putting his arms around her. "I love you so much."

Avi's phone buzzed. She leaned over to grab it from the end table next to her sofa-bed.

"It's from Sebastian," she said with a sneer, "vid conference in 15 for strategy?"

Rory nodded. "He's working with us. He gave us some information."

"What kind of information," she asked, not convinced of Sebastian's usefulness.

"I suppose it's best to tell you before the meeting," he said resignedly.

"Sebastian says the v-boys (Avi looked puzzled and Rory realized she hadn't heard that term before) those men paid for the girls to be here. Brian's going to make them pay to send them home."

"Good," she said then hesitated. "What about me? Did someone pay for me to be here?"

Rory dropped his head a little so his forehead rested against her shoulder. "It looks like it," he mumbled.

"Who?"

He held her closer. "We don't know for sure but there's a chance, a possibility that maybe…it could…might be…" This might be the most difficult statement Rory ever tried to make.

"…Tim," Avi finished for him.

He nodded with his head still pressed against her shoulder.

The bedroom doors opened, as if on cue, and the girls spilled into the main room. "We're hungry," said Gillian. "We want to go out for breakfast."

Avi stood quickly. "I'll call for room service," she said. Rory and I have to talk to his brother about how we're going to get you home. Girls, I know you're tired of this room, but we don't know where or when those scumbags might show up. But we'll try to get out this afternoon, okay?"

Rory recalled what Avi had said. They're theater kids; they want to perform. He walked over to stand next to Avi and put an arm around her shoulders. "Maybe when we're out we can find an audience. How would you girls like to give a well-rehearsed, impromptu performance on the streets of Cork?"

Their reaction was immediate and enthusiastic.

Avi looked at Rory with love, admiration, gratitude—an all-encompassing expression that said "you're the greatest thing in the world".

He nodded with a half-smile. "Right, I'll get the computer set up while you call room service. And after the meeting, we'll start working on our number," he stated to the room at large. "You're all very pretty in the morning, by the way," he concluded.

Six admiring pairs of eyes followed him through the connecting door.

Just a few minutes later, Avi stood at the foot of his bed, wearing shorts and a t-shirt that showed off her body better than the pajamas had. She smiled flirtatiously.

"What," Rory asked with amusement, glad to see that look back on her face.

"Say it again," she prompted, like you did last night and when I heard you in your dream last week, "Avi, baby…"

He smiled and held out his hand, "Avi, baby, c'mere".

She inched her way toward him. He watched entranced. "You look like you did when you crawled across the table in the lunch room that first day—so hot. Did you like the pages I wrote about it in the notebook?"

She leaned against him and put her arms around his neck. "You're a sick boy. I'd never have food all over me…and an audience?"

He grinned. "It was just the jocks. That's when they were still pickin' on me a bit so I wanted to rub it in their faces."

"Rub what in their faces," she asked.

His grin was bigger, "that you wanted me and not them."

She smiled. "I'd like to see someone try to pick on you now. You're so confident and forceful. I guess that's a result of having thousands of girls be crazy about you."

He corrected her. "Hundreds, not thousands, (Avi rolled her eyes) and that's not it. It's having you be crazy about me."

She smiled sweetly. "And you're crazy about me?"

"You and that cupid's bow mouth," he said huskily, pulling her into a deep kiss.

Brian appeared on screen, but neither of them noticed. "Alright, you two, break it up. We've got work to do."

Avi beamed at the computer screen, as she positioned herself next to but slightly behind Rory so they could both be seen. "Hi, Brian, it's good to finally meet you."

"Hello, gorgeous," he answered, "well, I see now why my brother has been so crazy. Oh, for God's sake, Rory, put a shirt on."

"Hello, Avi," said Sebastian, also appearing on screen. She pointedly avoided him.

Brian said, ""Avi, I know you have reason to be mad at Sebastian but if we're going to take care of those girls and possibly get some valid evidence on those creeps, we're all going to have to work together. So if you could put aside your differences, it would make things easier."

She snorted.

"Avi," Sebastian began, "I want you to know how sorry I am. I've been torn for weeks because I really enjoyed spending time with you and it's been hard reconciling the person I liked with the lying opportunist that Reg and his parents have been telling me you are. In the end I trusted my cousin, the same way you would trust Santana."

Avi felt her resolve to hate Sebastian for the rest of her life faltering. He'd pushed the right button. Her difficult but beloved sister, who'd walk through fire for her, was her soft spot.

Rory took Avi's hand as a sign of his moral support.

"I hope you can forgive me," Sebastian concluded.

Rory squeezed her hand. "I'll work on it, Bash," she said shortly.

"Good," Brian said with finality, because you'll have more difficult issues than that, Avelina. But first things first—how are the girls?"

"…Disappointed, bored, but they're fine," Avi answered. "They all love Rory so they'll do whatever he asks, she said, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Brian snickered then said with a smirk, "Okay, Rory, you're their date. You can't do much with the v-boys anyway."

Avi looked as if she were about to ask a question about that term. "I'll explain later," Rory whispered to her.

"I need all of the girls' names and information so I can take it to the police. No one knows about me yet so I can do that before I meet with the v-boys."

He had obviously been thinking about this before the meeting. Again Sebastian was impressed—and slightly aroused.

"Avi, you and Sebastian should meet with Reg. See what he has to say about TKI and see if you can get him to talk about (He looked down at his notes) Tim. Maybe he's ready to arrange a reunion for the two of you."

"No," asserted Rory. "We have to figure out something else. He's not coming near her."

Avi turned her head toward him in surprise.

Brian answered authoritatively, "I told you, Rory, you can't make that decision for her. Avi, has my brother bothered to tell you that we think Tim had you sent over here? Avi nodded. "And it's probably because of him that everyone else came here, rather than going somewhere else. So we need to find out what he's up to. And the only one of us he'd see is you."

She dropped her eyes.

Brian continued, "So do you think you can do that?"

Again she nodded.

"No," Rory repeated. "Yes," said Avi.

"Avelina, he hurt you. You can't expect me to ignore that," Rory said.

She looked at him with disappointment. "No, but I can expect you to keep it to yourself."

She turned her attention back to the screen. "Sebastian, set up a meeting with Reg. Tell him I called you and demanded to know what's going on. I'll find out all I can, Brian," she promised.

Rory looked as though he wanted to argue again.

"Go take care of your girls, Rory," Avi said impatiently. "We'll handle this."

Rory got off the bed and angrily stomped into the adjoining room, where he got the girls' personal information and shared their breakfast and flirted a lot.

"Don't be too hard on him," Brian said to Avi. "I never thought I'd see my level-headed brother care for anything as much as he does you. You should've seen all the girls he completely ignored because you were all he thought about. Seamus and I were a little jealous."

Sebastian felt a stab of disappointment upon hearing that.

Avi's expression was rueful. "I'll make it up to him," she said.

Brian smirked again. "I'm sure you will. Alright so I'm off to the coppers, you two meet with Reg and Rory's on charm duty. We'll compare notes again in a couple of hours. 'Bye, Avi."

She disconnected and went to apologize to Rory.

Brian addressed himself to the remaining conference participant. "Is everything okay, Sebastian?"

Sebastian managed a smile. "Sure, it's just a lot to take in."

Brian smiled in return. "I'm counting on you. Avi's obviously strong and determined, but she's been through a lot with these guys. You need to be supportive of her, while looking like you're her adversary. It won't be easy. But I've got a good feeling about you."

After that comment Sebastian tried to find a definite emotion on Brian's face but it was inscrutable.

"He's gonna be a helluva lawyer," said Sebastian, as he closed his laptop computer.

Brian also disconnected with his smart phone. He had a lot to do…and even more to think about.


	23. BusinessLike

_**Story concludes next week and my birthday is next week. Reviews for my birthday would be really nice**_

Singing and laughter coming from the suite made Avi feel just a little jealous. She opened the connecting door to find all five girls, surrounding Rory and singing the last line of their song, "Let's hear it for the boy".

They all clapped and exclaimed in delight and Gillian kissed Rory. That little pang of jealousy that Avi had felt flared close to the point of screaming.

She managed to walk up to the group and say, "lookin' good. I'm taking your boy with me for a few minutes. You might want to start getting ready for your performance.

The girls retreated to the bedrooms. Gillian winked at Rory as she closed the door.

Avi gave him a contrite look, her eyes saying she was sorry before she did. "Will you talk to me," she asked him.

He nodded and walked back to his room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Talk," he said tersely, crossing his arms.

She stood in front of him. "I'm so sorry for speaking to you like that, especially in front of Brian and Sebastian. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

He leaned back on locked arms and stretched out his legs, one on either side of Avi, still standing before him. "I shouldn't have said what I did in front of them either," he said, sounding more seductive than apologetic. "I know you want your privacy about that and you want to look strong and able to handle anything." He tapped the side of her leg with his own.

She recognized the playful gesture but wanted to explain herself more fully before reciprocating. "It's more than that," she said. "I don't want to look strong and capable, I want to be that. I told you before I didn't want what happened to me to control my life and that includes my love and sex life."

Rory lifted his eyebrows and held out a hand for her but she still stood, determined to make her position clear before she relented.

"They not only hurt me, they played me for a fool. I'm going to make them regret that. And not you or anyone else is going to keep me from it. Do you understand?"

At that point, Rory would have said yes to anything that would bring her closer to him but he was actually proud of her for taking that stance. "Yes," he said anxiously, "now will you please sit down?"

She took the spot next to him on the edge of the bed. He put his arms around her. "I hate them, Avelina. I want them to pay too, but I don't want you to have to see them or smile at them, maybe even let them touch you again. Instead of protecting you from that, I'm supposed to just let it happen, while I do nothing more than baby-sit." His frustration was palpable, as he tightened his hug.

"You're not baby-sitting," she clarified. "You're keeping a group of girls interested in you so they won't be tempted by Ratson and those other losers."

"Ratson," he asked wryly.

She shrugged. "…A typo-inspired nickname. But it fits."

Rory sighed. "Well, this wasn't as much fun talking it over in bed as we've had before. But I guess it's settled." He took her face in his hands. "Please be careful," he said urgently.

She nodded and the twinkle returned to her eye. "You're not having fun," she asked, climbing onto his lap to straddle him, "what would be fun for you?"

He grinned. "That would be so much easier to answer if it weren't for my group date."

"Yes the world feels sorry for you," Avi said, placing slow, soft kisses around his face. "You've had a hellish year, with girls on two continents falling at your feet."

He lay back, holding on to her. "And where are you," he asked with the huskiness in his voice to which he was oblivious but that made her turn semi-liquid.

"I'm standing back, sometimes amused, sometimes purple with jealousy," she said, pulling her phone from her back pocket in response to its buzz. She read the message. "I'm meeting Sebastian and Ratson in the restaurant downstairs in half an hour."

Rory groaned in annoyance at the interruption.

She smiled at him. "Why don't you get dressed and make yourself irresistible for your harem while I'm still here."

"You're changing too, aren't you," Rory asked, eyeing Avi's shorts and t-shirt ensemble, "something with a high neck that doesn't show off these legs," he continued, placing his hand possessively on a well-toned calf.

She giggled. "I'll save my most conservative outfit for my meeting with Tim. But I'll see what I can find that makes me look business-like for now."

Rory grinned. "Save your sexiest outfit for our first night alone, not that you'll be wearin' it for long".

She giggled again, as she climbed off of the bed. "You'd better hurry or your girls are going to come in and pull you out of the shower and I can only gouge out so many eyes at a time."

"Ha-ha," Rory laughed. He was one of the few people who actually made that sound when he laughed and Avi loved it. "See if you can keep them under control for ten minutes," he said standing. He put his arms around her. "It's fun bein' in your love life."

She grinned, "Even in a situation like this?"

"There's nobody I'd rather go through a situation like this with," he told her sincerely. "Now go change. I want to see your business-like look."

Business-like for her was black slacks and geometric-patterned blouse, which Rory buttoned higher than she thought was necessary.

Her expression was even more business-like, as she sat down at the table with Sebastian and Reg.

She'd received a text from Sebastian just before she arrived that stated, "For whatever I say in this meeting, I'm sorry, Bash".

She glared at him and his cousin. "What do you want, Reg," she asked with hostility.

He smiled. "Oh, don't be like that, Little Avi," he said in a sickeningly silky tone, "shouldn't you be flattered that I went to so much trouble to see you again? You are a beautiful girl," he said reaching for her hand, resting on the table.

She crossed her arms. "Don't call me that again. And no, I'm not flattered; I'm disgusted. What do you know about what he has in mind, Sebastian?"

Sebastian couldn't help but wonder if she still had that much resentment for him, or was she just that good an actress. He had to raise his game to keep up with her.

"What do you care," he asked snidely. "It's better here than it is in Lima Heights, isn't it?"

Reg put his hand on Sebastian's arm. "Now, Sebastian, let's have none of that." (He actually thought he was running this meeting.) "Avi has the right to know what's going on."

He looked at her as though giving her good news. "You remember Tim, don't you? He's a powerful man in Europe and he wants to make you a star."

"What," she demanded.

"I told you he was impressed with you…in many ways," Reg said meaningfully.

She shook her head in disbelief. "And why are those girls here?"

"They're like you," Reg said, "natural temptresses. The rules don't apply to them either."

Avi felt her insides twisting in revulsion. Sebastian's reaction was even more intense. How could his cousin say these things in front of him? Maybe he was deranged; maybe he could get help.

"My friends love those girls, Avi," Reg continued. "It's wrong of you and that Irish boy to keep them apart."

"The youngest is only 13," Avi said with distaste.

Reg chuckled. "Dawes always has liked the combination of street smarts and innocence. He's gone gradually younger to ensure his girls have both."

"Dawes," Avi gasped, recognizing the name of the "assistant director", with whom she and Sebastian had rehearsed. They allowed themselves a mutual look of surprise and disgust.

"Gradually," thought Sebastian, "that's how he got to this point—accepting a little more all the time, matching his obsession with others, until his moral boundaries were…gone".

Avi sighed, as if putting aside the issue of the girls for her own ambition. "When do I see Tim?"

Reg smiled. "I can have him here in just a few minutes. We'll talk later about you giving me those girls."

He got up from the table, patting Sebastian on the shoulder as he went. Sebastian just resisted the urge to rub his shoulder, as if removing something unpleasant.

Avi looked after him in near shock. "What did I ever see in him," she wondered. Out loud she said to Sebastian. "It's too bad I'm not wearing a wire now."

Sebastian smiled. "I am."


	24. Avi Stays

The girls were still rehearsing their number, as Rory spoke to Avi's family and Maria on Skype.

"I've talked to my brother," he said. "He was able to get the police to record the meeting Avelina and Sebastian are having with Ralston. He also met with the other men who are here and got them to agree to pay for the girls' return flights tomorrow."

"So Avi will be coming home tomorrow too," said Mr. Lopez, who had been apoplectic since Santana's initial call from Will Schuester about Rory's suspicions while Avi was still en route.

Rory's face fell. "Yes sir," he said painfully, "she'll be able to return tomorrow".

Maria saw Rory's misery. "This isn't fair," she thought, "after everything they've been through to not have any time alone? Life can't be that cruel to two young, sweet people who are crazy about each other".

She nudged Santana.

"Papa," Santana said in response to Maria, "don't you think Avi deserves a little time there alone, without the responsibility of the girls, to just relax after what she's been through?"

"And who's going to pay for that," asked Mr. Lopez.

Rory realized what Santana had just done for him and Avi. "I have money; my brother has money. He said someone at the police station mentioned a reward. Sebastian said he wanted to pay for her stay to make up for what he did. Money for Avi won't be a problem.

Mrs. Lopez heard the anxiousness in Rory's voice. "I think it will be fine," she said, "Rory and his brother will take care of her, right," she asked.

"Definitely," he said. "I promise you that she'll be safe and she'll be able to relax."

Mr. Lopez nodded. "Alright, she can stay. You make sure nothing happens to her, Rory".

"Yes sir," he assured him. "Santana, can you pass the news onto everyone," Rory asked, slyly crossing his fingers and rubbing them against his temple—his version of the Lopez girls' secret sign-that said "Thank you, sister".

Craig, back from hockey camp, wanted an update too.

Rory connected with him and saw that there were others in Craig's room who wanted to be in on the conversation-Ang, Tina, Blaine, Brittany, Sugar and Axe.

Rory gave them the same information and assurances about Avi's safety and welfare.

"So are you enjoying your time with her,"Craig asked, with a suggestive lift of his eyebrow.

Tina noticed, if Rory didn't, that Ang crossed her arms and shifted awkwardly from one foot to another.

Rory gave a sheepish grin. "Actually, we haven't had more than a few minutes together at a time (excluding sleeping together the previous night, which Rory wasn't going to mention to the assemblage).

"Awww," said Sugar sympathetically.

Tina sensed relief, not only from Ang but Brittany as well...and Axe. "What's that noise," she asked Rory, trying to change the subject.

He glanced toward the suite. "That's the girls practicing. We're taking them out this afternoon and they want to break into song in the Coal Quay Market. I'm their date."

Blaine snickered.

"When will Avi be home?"

Rory looked coldly at Axe in response, "not for a while. Her parents said she could stay a few days after the girls go back".

"And then you can be _her_ date," Sugar chirped.

The jealous trio naturally moved to stand in a group. Rory nodded with a self-conscious smile. "We're lookin' forward to it," he said.

"But you don't have to rush things," Brittany interjected. Ang nodded in ageement.

Rory looked at Brittany in surprise, as did the others in the room.

"I mean," she continued, eyeing everyone anxiously, "you could hurt yourself if you go too fast. Maybe you should wait another year to be safe." Ang nodded again and Axe said "yeah".

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Rory said matter-of-factly, as Craig and Blaine looked at the three of them disbelievingly and Tina tried to ignore the entire exchange. Sugar had no trouble, as she was unaware of the tension and awkwardness.

"Rory, are you coming back," Ang asked, unable this time to hide the hope in her voice,as she not only heard him but saw him, as well.

Rory looked puzzled. Hadn't he had this conversation with her just a few days ago? "I don't know. But I'll let you all know if I do. 'Bye for now."

Returning to his pubescent entourage, Rory shook his head in wonder. Had everyone in Lima always been so strange and he just hadn't noticed before? "Looks like I got not only the hottest and best of the bunch, but also the most sane".


	25. Timid, Terrible

Avi looked at Sebastian in amazement. "Are you kidding?"

"Nope," he said with a smirk. "That gorgeous and brainy Brian was already outside the police station when we had our video conference. He'd recorded it so the cops had not only what we knew but also Rory's comments to you that they had hurt you. And the police came right back with him and wired me."

"So we've got them," Avi said with relief.

Sebastian shook his head. "There's not enough on Tim yet. Hopefully he'll incriminate himself when he gets here."

Avi looked toward the opening of the hotel restaurant. "Here they come now."

"Avi," hailed the tall, distinguished man with salt and pepper hair, as he kissed her hand, "it's so good to see you again. I've missed your sweet fire."

She had planned to be reserved but still give him the impression that she could be persuaded. But faced with him, Avi remembered his indifference, even impatience to her cries. She also remembered him being charming, the way he was now, after he had…finished. That dichotomy, her counselor had helped her understand, was probably why she had been unable to identify him in the police line-up in New York. She had in her mind, divided him in half….Timid Tim, the mild-mannered gentleman sitting with her now—and Terrible Tim, the indifferent, impatient, dangerous man she'd also encountered.

Sebastian saw her hesitation and gave her a chance to recover. "Reg," he said, "where are your manners?" He stood and said politely, "How do you do. I'm Sebastian Smythe."

Tim looked at Sebastian's hand with disdain. He moved his chair closer to Avi and sat, obviously enthralled. "How are you, sweetheart," he asked attentively.

Reg chimed in, saying, "She's been a bad girl. She and her native boyfriend are keeping the girls that the other fellows brought over to themselves."

"Native boyfriend…?" Tim's tone caused Avi to inwardly cringe.

Reg hurried to explain, "It's how we lured her here. She wanted to see him."

Tim looked at Reg with anger. "I thought the theater opportunity is what she wanted."

Reg swallowed hard as he said, "The theater group was important to her as a way to see him again."

"I'm disappointed in you, Avi," Tim said, slightly less threateningly.

She finally recovered her voice. "I came for a cute boyfriend and a theater opportunity. So I've had the cute boy now. Do you have more to offer?"

He smiled like a snake. "Yes, Avi, I believe I have much more to offer….life in a castle, your name in lights, toast of the theater world."

"And that's why you brought me here…to make me a theater star," Avi asked, leaning closer to him.

"Let's watch appearances," he said with that menacing tone. "In public I should look like your father or a doting uncle."

Avi tried again. "You wanted me here though for the private time, right?"

He glanced at Reg and Sebastian. "You can go now."

Sebastian started to protest but couldn't without betraying himself. He reluctantly left with Reg…and the wire.

Tim turned his snake grin back to Avi. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes…your little euphemism about private time. You're not coy, Avi. You know what I want and expect from you."

He was so intimidating and powerful. There was no longer a way of getting evidence. Now her mission was basic self-protection.

"Tim, you hurt me before," she said, a little panic creeping into her voice.

Terrible Tim enjoyed that sound. "Again with the euphemisms…you'll get used to it. I have a lot of games in mind for us," he said, the caressing of her hand suddenly turning into a vise grip, "and we're leaving now".

"No," she said, the panic more pronounced. "I have my clothes upstairs and those girls are expecting me back."

"Your things are irrelevant and will be replaced by much, much better. As for those girls, let Reg play his tawdry little games. They're beneath us. Now let's go," he said, rising rapidly.

Avi began to protest loudly and drag her feet to slow the exit from the restaurant.

All eyes turned to her and saw her resistance of the well-known, influential Englishman, who had recently moved into the area and begun throwing around his money.

He laughed sheepishly, resorting to Timid Tim, as he said, "This is what happens when I take away my niece's Aston Martin for breaking curfew and appalling grades."

Some in the restaurant tittered uncomfortably. "Of course, Sir," said the fawning Maitre D', pocketing the large bill that Tim slipped him.

Outside the hotel Avi tried to get away from him but he was too strong. She was a great dancer but not an athlete. What could she do…pirouette away from him? She could only continue her fruitless screaming and resistance, becoming more desperate by the second.

Suddenly the back door of a paneled van parked at the curb opened and several men and women, including Brian, jumped out of it.

"One moment, Sir," said the lead officer, flashing his badge, "You're under arrest for attempted kidnapping".

Tim blustered. "Because my niece throws a tantrum…? This is outrageous."

The officer said, "Sir, we know who she is and that she's not your niece. Do you want to go with him, Avi," he asked, looking a little too long into her dark eyes.

She shook her head emphatically no and cried with relief.

"I'll have your badge for this," Tim threatened, as he was put in handcuffs.

"Very likely, Sir," said the detective, "but you won't have this young girl again." He put a protective arm around her.

Brian was on the phone. "Yes, Rory, he said reassuringly, moving to take Avi into his arms as his brother's surrogate, "I have her; she's safe".

* * *

_**I have story on fictionpress, if anyone is interested:**_

_**It's called The Last Leaf-Extended Version by Ophelia Henry**_

_**because the author of the original story was O Henry. I'm persevera on that site as well**_


	26. Depend on a Flanagan

_**Posting conclusion early. Tomorrow's DOB and celebration with family**_

After his Skype conversation, Rory called Brian for an update on Avi's meeting with Sebastian and Reg. The girls flitted around him, still singing "Let's hear it for the boy".

"They've been talking for a few minutes," Brian said. "Avi's holding her own with Reg. You were right about Tim. Reg said he wants to make her a star."

Rory puffed his cheeks in disgust. Brian wisely didn't tell him what Reg said about Tim being impressed with her "in many ways".

"He's diggin' his own grave and that of his friends on the girls," Brian continued dryly.

Rory nodded in satisfaction.

"Hnh," Brian said with a little surprise, "Tim's close. Reg said he could have him there in a few minutes. He's gone to get him."

At first Rory was worried, then decided if the meeting was inevitable, it was better to be in a public place and recorded.

"Sebastian thinks I'm gorgeous and brainy," Brian said drolly.

Rory hissed in impatience. "Whatever".

Brian chuckled then was quiet. "He's there now," he reported. Again Brian omitted the details of the men's attentiveness toward Avi. "She's uhh…trying to…draw him out," Brian said carefully.

Rory gave a small laugh. "You can tell me what's goin' on. I know what a flirt my girl is. If anyone can get him to talk abut what he has in mind, it's her."

"Uhh, Rory," Brian began in a more serious manner.

What," his brother demanded. "Quiet," Rory said to the girls.

Brian stated reluctantly, "Tim ordered Reg and Sebastian to leave."

"Wasn't Sebastian wearing the wire," Rory asked, his voice rising.

"Yeah"

"So Avi's alone with him and nobody knows what's goin' on?"

The girls looked nervous, as Rory's tone became more troubled.

"We're out here in the van to catch him," Brian said.

"That's not the only way he can go," Rory said, becoming angry. "This is a hotel, for God's sake. He could…."

Suddenly Rory ran out of the room, shouting "Avelina".

"Rory, what's wrong with Avi," Carrie yelled, as the girls trailed him anxiously.

He raced through the stair well, roaring curses at his brother and the cops. "If anything happens to her, Brian…"

"They're doin' everythin they can, Rory." Brian tried pacifying him. "We can see them now."

"You can see them? What's goin' on," Rory asked, reaching the ground floor.

"Avi's screaming and trying to get away from him," Brian said. "They're going after him."

"Is she away from him now," Rory asked frantically, running toward the lobby.

"Yes, Rory," Brian told him. "I have her; she's safe."

Seconds later Rory appeared to explode through the hotel's front door and fly toward Avi and Brian.

He pushed his brother aside and grabbed her. "Avelina," he said with passion and relief.

She practically disappeared in his arms, as he pulled her tighter and blocked out everyone around them.

"Are you alright," he whispered in her ear.

"Yes, oh, Rory, I didn't think I'd ever see you again," was her muffled reply.

Brian said with a little chuckle in his voice, "Detective, this is my brother, Rory…" (He raised his head a little at the sound of his name.) "…the cute boyfriend."

Rory held out his hand. "Thank you for saving her," he said emotionally.

The detective smiled. "The way you came running out of there, if we hadn't, you would have."

"Avi," the detective addressed her with deference, "we need you to come to the station to give your statement and identify whomever you can."

The five girls ran over to circle Avi and Rory. "We're so glad you're okay," Gillian said for the group. "Rory, are we going soon?"

Rory looked at his brother pleadingly.

Brian got the hint. "Girls, I'm Rory's better-looking and more lovable brother. He isn't going to let Avi out of his sight for a while, so I'm going to take you to lunch then we'll get you ready to go home."

"But what about our number," they asked, almost in unison.

Brian looked questioningly at Rory.

Avi piped in, "You can always depend on a Flanagan. Whatever Rory was going to do, I'm sure Brian can handle as well."

Brian escorted them back into the hotel.

Avi gave Rory a small kiss, saying, "But for some things, only the original will do".

He looked at her seriously. "Avelina, when I think about what could have happened…"

She shook her head. "It wouldn't. Like the detective said, I was working hard to get away and you would have helped me."

Rory resumed his tight hold then walked to the police car with her. They sat close to each other and whispered all the way to the station.

"So the girls are going home this evening," Avi asked.

"That's what Brian said. And your parents said you can stay a few days."

"We can be together tonight," she said happily.

Rory looked at her closely. "Avelina, are you sure you're ready? After what you've been through, I could understand if you didn't want anybody to touch you."

She leaned back in his arms. "I don't want anybody to touch me, just you."

They arrived at the station. Avi gave her statement. The detective compared it to her statement to the New York authorities and was pleased with the consistency. She got over her mental block about Tim and identified him easily.

Brian and the girls picked them up in the RV, along with Sebastian, who had been in interrogation since leaving the restaurant with Reg, and they all drove to the airport. The girls chattered with Brian, their new favorite, about their success in singing for the passers-by, happy as if that had been their whole purpose in coming to Europe.

Avi looked around the RV then whispered to Rory, "Can we take this somewhere?"

"You don't want to stay in the suite," he asked.

She explained, "I want to go somewhere with you where it's like we're the only people on the planet, as natural as possible."

He looked in her eyes and caressed her face, as he realized what she was thinking. "Eve," he said, citing one of his earliest recorded fantasies from the notebook he'd given her.

She smiled and nodded, "with a Celtic Adam".


	27. Steal Away

The RV rolled through the gates of the country estate, owned by the family of one of Brian's classmates. It left the road and entered the forest at the far edge of the property, the headlights filtered through the foliage seeming to wink, advertising its arrival and purpose.

Rory stopped the vehicle and turned off the lights. His heart was beating rapidly but he didn't want to betray his nervousness to Avi.

She moved from the passenger seat to sit on his lap. She kissed him repeatedly and slowly massaged his back and shoulder muscles to relieve some of his tension. The thighs though were like stone—only one way for them to relax.

She pulled him up with her and began walking backwards to what she'd already decided was the best bed. "Rory, baby, c'mere," she said with light-hearted sultriness and her eyes smoldering the way they did in his dreams.

He followed, as if hypnotized. She untied her wrap dress and slowly lay down, the moonbeam from the window creating a subtle spotlight for her.

Rory finally spoke. "Damn, you're beautiful," he said, falling to his knees on the floor beside her.

She touched his cheek and brushed a fingertip over his eyebrow. "Your face right now," she said softly, "you could be a little boy or the most experienced man in the world." She took his hand and placed it over her heart. "You don't need me to guide you, do you?"

"No," he responded huskily, crawling on top of her, "I know what I want".

* * *

Through the next two days they gave and took everything to and from each other, knowing, if not saying, this might be the only time they'd ever have. They learned each other intimately, through touch and taste and snippets of conversation….

"...I can't believe I've missed out on this for so long. And I voluntarily did when you were throwing yourself at me in Lima. They should teach it in school."

Avi laughed. "Well, as your teacher, I give you an A."

"What? Not an A-plus?"

She smiled mischievously and pushed his head down. "Maybe you need to earn extra credit…."

* * *

"….You were really excited about TKI, weren't you?"

"I had to get here some way to bring out your inner sex god."

He smiled, as his hand slid along her body. "And you've done an excellent job. But aside from that, you were excited to be working in what you thought was a real production again, right...not just a glee club that was more about lessons than getting the show on."

She hunched her shoulder and tilted her head to concede the point.

"Have you thought about going back to New York? The network won't be a problem now. You're so good, too professional to not test yourself against real talent."

"Maybe," she said, "I'll think about it."

"Think about it later," he said, taking her hand to guide her…

* * *

"…Rory," she began, kissing his shoulder blade, as he lay on his stomach. "

Hmm," he responded groggily.

"Will you always love me?"

He turned his head and glanced at her through sleepy eyes. "Yes," he said, reaching out his arm to pull her close, "always. Now go to sleep…voracious vixen."

"Where did that one come from?" she asked with a little laugh.

"Been savin' it..."

* * *

"…Is Brian gay?"

Rory grinned. "He'd never commit himself one way or the other."

"Sebastian's crazy about him."

"Well then he must like him too. Brian can make himself really unappealing to people he's not interested in."

"I think he likes me. Doesn't he?"

"He adores you."

"And you said your mother likes me?"

"She loves you." He rose to sit next to her. "Avelina, Do you want to go home with me to meet everyone?"

"Really, now?"

"Hell no," he mumbled, nibbling her neck. "I want my full two days with you that Brian's friend said we could have here. But afterwards…?"

"Will we be able to sleep together?"

He shook his head and grinned sheepishly. "They'll probably try to keep us as far away from each other as possible."

"But you still want me to come anyway?"

"I really do…"

* * *

"…Why do you think the peace campaign was doomed from the start," he asked, as they walked through the woods holding hands.

Avi got an impish look and rushed a little ahead of him. She walked backwards, continuing her reasoning.

"I saw this documentary about the Dark Ages. There were men who thought people needed to repent for things to get better. They went from town to town, publicly flailing themselves."

"And," he prompted, looking confused.

"_They_ had groupies," she said.

"I don't get it."

"When people found out about how they were meeting local girls, their 'sacrifice' lost its effectiveness."

His pace slowed as he tried to grasp her point.

She helped him. "Girls can't resist a star and sometimes when they choose one; it alienates the guys, who needed to hear your message too."

"Hmm," he responded, "something to think about".

She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and backed into a tree. "Like you said," she reminded him, jumping into his arms and locking her feet behind his back, "think about it later…"

* * *

"…I can't believe you called Ang, of all people, when you were trying to get information about me."

"Why?" Rory asked, popping a cheese cube into her mouth, "she's your best friend and the most helpful."

"That's because she has a huge crush on you," Avi said, feeding him an apple slice.

"Really? Is that why she kept asking if I was coming back?"

She rolled her eyes and took the bite of carrot he offered. "You're so clueless. I bet you don't know which one of the five girls liked you the most."

"Taneka," he said with a smile, taking a drink from the water bottle and handing it to her.

"No," she said tolerantly, "that's the one you'd like to think did because she was the prettiest. She'd take you in a heartbeat but she's not the one who'll dream about you for months."

He buttered a slice of bread and gave it to her. "Was it Gillian?"

She chewed the bread and shook her head. "No, even though I thought I might have to slap her if she kissed you again."

"This is fun," he said, taking the cherry tomato she gave him and nipping her finger, "I don't think it was Trixie".

She handed him a second water bottle."That idiot Dawes…Trixie really is still a little girl. He could have ruined her for life. No, it was Jordan."

"How do you know," he asked. He put a fingertip of peanut butter on her tongue and swirled it slowly, as if creating a target for his own tongue.

She put her hand behind his neck and lay back on the cushioned banquette, pulling him with her. "I've had Rory-itis a long time. I know the symptoms."

He leaned over her and pushed his unbuttoned shirt that she was wearing off of her shoulders. "What are the symptoms?"

He began placing some of the tidbits on her skin.

"Blue, like your eyes, becomes the favorite color. I noticed she wore it a lot," she said shakily, as he began to slowly eat the morsels from his make-shift platter. The 'ings' become softer. Ummm…." She couldn't think of more.

Rory snickered.

"What's funny," she asked.

He pitched his voice higher, in imitation of her from the other day, stating emphatically, "I'd never have food all over me". With a mischievous smile, he snapped another tomato from the base of her throat.

"But this is just pieces," she said, "it's not messy."

"Oh, that's the difference," he teased, sticking his fingers deep in the peanut butter jar and slathering the stuff on her.

"Ah," she exclaimed. "You'd better get all of it."

"I'll do my best," he muttered, falling to his task.

She looked up at the ceiling and smirked then took some peanut butter and put it in the hollow between his neck and shoulder. "You're a sick boy and a bad influence," she said, as she licked the area clean.

With just a tiny bit behind her ear, he asked, "you don't really mind, do you?"

They later washed and splashed playfully in the brook that ran next to where the RV was parked.

Slipping back into his shorts, Rory asked, "Do you think they'll be alright?"

"Who?"

"The girls."

She shrugged. "No reason they shouldn't be. In the end they just got an interesting story for their What I Did on My Summer Vacation essays—spent a weekend in a hotel with a hot Irish guy."

Then she shook her head a little. "It could have been so much worse if you hadn't been there at the airport. I was useless, consumed with their head games and my…betrayal. If you hadn't been there to help me find my strength…and I've never properly thanked you."

"That's funny," he said wryly, watching her dress, "I feel thanked".

She took on a formal attitude. "No, this is important." She stood over him and held his hands. "On behalf of Gillian, Taneka, Carrie, Jordan, Trixie and myself, you saved our lives. And we're forever grateful."

He rose and held her close, as if she were a miracle. Brian had told him a little about the room the police had found in the castle tower, with the stark bed and chains and…accessories. Would that have been Avi's ultimate destination? Instead she was here and he could hold her and love her. On behalf of all of them, he sent a thank you up the chain of command….

* * *

"…Avi," he whispered later that night, lying next to her.

"Yes," she said, looking up at him.

"You know I'm a much better person since knowing you."

"I'm sure you were pretty terrific anyway," she said.

He shook his head. "You brought out my best. You've made me a man. I don't mean just like this. Ever since I've met you, I've wanted to make you proud of me and live up to whatever challenges there were. And there have been some. But the time I've had with you has been the greatest in my life. And these last two days will go down in history."

"I know," she said breathily, "me too...You're not outgrowing me, are you? Can I still think of you as A-Rorable?"

"If you roll it for me," he answered.

"A-rrrorrable"

"Again," he requested, kissing her.

"I love you A-rrrrrorrrrrable".

He looked at her in the moonlight; sure it was the most beautiful thing he would ever see. There was so much else to say, but they were too young—their futures still determined by their presents, still dictated by family, society, even their governments. He blinked his eyes, as if clicking a shutter on the sight to preserve it in his mind. He cuddled her closer and settled for saying, "I love you. Good night".


	28. Take Care of Yourself

Avi loved her time with Rory's family. She played piano and sang with his mother Margaret, joked about politics with his father Ross and Brian and helped Seamus prepare a dramatic reading for his performing arts school audition.

Her closest relationship though was with Rory's little sister Celia, a feisty 12 year-old. "I might be the youngest, but I'm not the baby," the girl said saucily after her most recent squabble with Seamus. It reminded Avi so much of her and Santana's silly bickering that she realized she was becoming homesick.

Rory was so happy for her to be there, see her with his friends and family and show her off around town. "It's like you belong here," he said, giving her a small kiss on her temple, as they stood in the living room of his house.

"I'd starve," she responded lightly. Margaret was a great cook and, for now anyway, thought Avi's finicky eating habits were as cute as Rory did, and enjoyed preparing meals with her visitor in mind. Eating outside the home, though, had proven to be more difficult. Avi didn't like the "chipper food" that Rory devoured.

"I'll order groceries for you from the states; I'll buy you granola bars and peppermint patties by the gross, grow you a garden…anything to keep you," he said holding her tight. It was a bittersweet statement, since he knew she was flying back to Ohio the next day.

This stolen moment was the only time they'd had alone and their longest embrace in days. She clung to him. "I've missed being close to you," she whispered.

Rory had difficulty keeping his hands and arms chastely around her waist. She felt so good and he could remember so much from just a few days ago. "Avelina," he said, "would you want to leave after your party so we can spend one last night together?"

She seemed to have suddenly been lit from within, as she asked, "really? We can do that? They won't be upset?"

"I think since they know you now and how much I love you that they wouldn't mind. I'll talk to Dad about it."

Ross listened patiently and with a straight face, as his middle son told him as tastefully as he could about his burning desire for his girlfriend, who had de-flowered him just a few days earlier, and their wish for a reprise that night, after his mother threw a party for said girlfriend.

"It'll never be enough, Rory," he said wisely. "Even if you stay together tonight, on the way to the airport, you'll both think 'one last time' and even if you do that, at the airport, you'll think 'one last time'. The two of you can't be satisfied right now and it will only be worse after tomorrow when she's back in America."

Rory slapped his hands against either side of his head and sat down heavily in the chair across from the desk in his father's home office. "At least I won't be able to smell her or watch her walk or just look at her. I've been losing my mind the last couple of days with her so close and not being able…"

"I get the idea," Ross said, holding up his hand to stop Rory's declaration. "You should be careful what you say though. If Avi were to hear you, it might sound to her like you wish she hadn't come."

"What? No, I…"

"I know—sweet torture. I won't think you a bad son if you leave with her tonight after the party."

"And Mam…"

"…is more of a romantic than you think and she loves Avi. After what has happened to the dear girl, if you can make her happy and restore her faith in men in general…well, let's just say I'm very proud of what you and your brother did in Cork."

"I love her," Rory said simply, 'I'd do anything for her".

Ross rose from his chair and walked around the desk to place his hands on his son's shoulders, "Now all you have to do is figure out what that entails".

Rory raised his eyebrows questioningly.

His father concluded by leading him to the door and saying, "Go find your girl and don't fritter away the time you have left".

The good-byes after the party were teary and emotional. Margaret was especially upset to be losing her new daughter.

In the RV that night, Rory was surprised to realize that he just wanted to hold Avi. They stayed awake in each other's arms for hours, not wanting to lose a second of time together. The inevitability and finality of their separation was too close for them to deny.

In the airport they stood alone at the large window, watching the planes. Rory ironically stated "I hate America".

She increased her hold around his middle. "I hate anything that separates us."

He lifted her chin with his fingertips so they were looking in each other's eyes. "Avelina, I don't want you to wait for me."

She fought her inclination to look down. "I know," she said maintaining their gaze. "And I don't want you to feel pressured to come back to me."

He cradled her head beneath his chin. "After what I've had with you, I know love is your nature. The only thing worse than imagining you with someone else…"

"…is imagining you with no one," Avi finished, stating their mutual feeling.

Tears gleamed in her eyes. "Should we do one of those pacts to see each other in a particular place at a particular time?"

"Avelina, my worst moment would be waiting for you and you didn't come. That's something I couldn't stand."

She sighed heavily. "The worst for me would be planning to stay in contact with each other and that dying slowly because of other interests or responsibilities. I never want you to be diminished in my mind. So that rules out a techno relationship like we've had this summer."

Rory looked down shamefaced, "…especially since the demands I put on you almost led to you and five innocent girls being victims of human trafficking."

She tilted her head so she could catch his eye again. "It wasn't your demands; it was my need for you."

"Our needs, our desires," Rory clarified, "and it's not like they're any less now, right?"

"Right," she said, running her hands over his shoulders and arms, thinking again how much harder his muscles were than when she first met him in Ohio.

Rory stared at her and traced her Cupid's bow mouth with a fingertip. "Avelina Luz-lips Lopez—the standard I'll use to judge every girl or woman I see for the rest of my life. I already know no one will ever equal you."

"Give 'em a chance, honey," she said with a meager attempt at levity.

She looked up at him and tangled her fingers in his hair. "Rory Michael Flanagan, with the soft, wavy hair, incredible eyes, and that voice…No matter where I am or who I'm with, I'll always look for you and listen for you."

Their lips met for a long kiss. They heard the announcement that her plane had arrived. They moved closer to the point of departure.

"I can't think of two words that begin with the same letter," she said with a sad little laugh.

"I can't either," he said. "I guess because it was a continuation for us and this is an end."

She nodded and looked at him beseechingly. "Can we be gleeks one last time," she asked.

"You want to sing together," he asked. She nodded. "What did you want to sing?"

She brushed some tears from her face. "Tina told me about your audition song. It's perfect for us, isn't it?"

"Yeah," he said sadly.

Together they began the tenderly sorrowful lyric…

_It's time for us to part  
__Yeah it's best for us to part  
__Oh, but I love you  
__Oo-oo-oo, I love you  
__Take care of yourself  
__I'll miss you_

Avi slung Rory's old book bag over her shoulder. He touched the strap, remembering. He lifted her into his arms and they had their final kiss.

_And no more tears to cry  
__I'm out of good-byes_

She ran for the entrance to the plane. He walked back to the window to watch it lift into the sky and fly away.

The falsetto still ran through his mind and he mouthed the words

_It's time for us to part  
__Although it breaks my heart_

He turned around to head out of the terminal. On the plane Avi fingered the dog-eared fantasy notebook, watching her biggest teardrops fall onto it, and continued their song

_Because I love you  
__Oo-oo-oo, I love you_

Rory slammed the door on the RV and sat there, staring out the windshield, unable yet to leave and break the last connection to Avi.

_Take care of yourself  
__Take care of yourself  
Take care of yourself_

_I love you-ou_


	29. Epilogue

Back in Lima, Avi cried for a few days-in her room, at the FOO tree, on the bench in front of the school— going anywhere that made her think of Rory.

He continued his odd jobs because it left him free to make his own schedule. In his off hours he studied history and architecture of medieval buildings and kept current on the news. He started running again. He saved every electronic record he had of Avi on a disc and put it and all of his notebooks into her satchel and stored them in the attic directly over his bedroom.

Avi went back to work and the Lima Bean began drawing a lot of young men as customers.

She only confided the details of her time in Ireland to Ang, who cried with her. Avi knew her friend imagined herself in the RV with Rory but that didn't bother her. Since they shared affection for him, they also shared devastation in losing him.

She saw a lot of Sebastian. He was still in contact with Brian, who had strict orders from Rory to tell him nothing about him, lest he tell Avi.

The brothers discussed their original concept for the peace campaign and decided since Dylan had been the original inspiration; it should concentrate on the things that were important to him—art and sports. They realized too that there were fewer rumblings than there had been before they began and maybe they'd had an impact after all. Brian had to return to school but both agreed they'd work on sponsoring inter-community arts and games events.

Avi and her parents decided she needed to stay in Ohio for at least another year before returning to New York. At the end of the month, just before the new school term, she accepted an invitation for a date with Joe. She chose him over Artie, Axe, Craig and others, because of his reminder to her of their kindergarten history-when they were caught kissing and she earned her nickname. It brought back memories of Rory calling her Luz-lips, with the thick L's from his honey mouth.

She stayed in touch with the New York prosecutor's office and knew when the v-boys and Reg took pleas that resulted in some jail time and intensive psychotherapy.

She and her TKI girls had regular video conferences. They knew after the first one not to mention Rory. They were all livid upon learning that Tim had not only been cleared of any crime, but received apologies from officials for any embarrassment he might have suffered from his arrest.

That man continued to live lavishly in his castle. He was alone, as usual, in his drawing room one evening, sipping cognac and reading de Sade. He looked up, startled, at the sudden appearance of someone wearing bulky sweats, gloves and a stocking cap that covered the face.

"You think you've gotten away with it, don't you," the person said coldly. "But I'm watchin'. I'll get the evidence on you some day. And in the meantime, I'll make sure everyone knows if you go near a young girl again. But for now, you'll pay a small price with this and don't pretend you don't know who it's for."

The unknown person swung a fist one time and Tim crumpled to the stone floor. The assailant then left through the secret passage that led to the old dungeons. They connected to a cave, at the end of which was an old dirt road and about a mile from there-a battered RV.

It wasn't until he revived the next morning that Tim realized his jaw was broken, the result of an upper cut and to the side—hometown favorite.


End file.
